I Need You
by brittany-anderson
Summary: Jack and Rose survive the sinking but are separated by Cal and Ruth, but their undying love is powerful enough for anything. Rated T for some violence and sexuality.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: You'll notice that I changed a small portion of this scene of the movie. Hopefully you all are alright with that. Enjoy and please review :)**

Rose laid on her back, staring up into the starry sky, trying to figure out how something could look so beautiful on such a horrific night. She saw a shooting star fly across the sky and remembered the words that Jack said to her just a day ago. _"You know, my Pops used to tell me that whenever you saw one it was a soul going to heaven." _This comforted her a little to know that one of these poor souls that had to die so gruesomely were headed to a better place. She blinked back a tear and felt her heart sting as she though about Jack and she wondered if he was still alright; he hadn't said anything to her in a while. She wished she could move to look at him, but her body was frozen. As if he was listening to her thoughts, his ice cold hand that was interlocked with hers squeezed hers in reassurance. She smiled inside and squeezed back.

"Come Josephine…in my flying…machine…"

Jack smiled as he heard her sing softly. His eyes were closed and his body was paralyzed in the freezing water, but he was still alive. He had to survive for her. There was no way he would put her through all of this just to die and leave her all alone in the world. He had to protect her.

"Come Josephine…in my…"

Rose found it harder and harder to breath. She had never been in these kind of conditions before and she could feel her body shutting down. 'Shit,' she thought to herself desperately, 'just hold on a little bit longer. You can do it.' Even though she was reassuring herself over and over, she felt the world go black slowly around her and she started to panic.

She saw something out of the corner of her eye, something bright, and she heard a very distant noise; it sounded like someone's voice. She slowly turned her head towards the light and saw that there was a boat heading in their direction. They had actually came back for them! She had began to give up hope.

All of the sudden she felt herself gain a little bit of strength back at the prospect of being saved. She slowly turned towards Jack and looked at him for the first time in probably fifteen minutes. "Jack," she said softly with a smile on her face. She looked at him lovingly; he was sleeping. Poor thing.

"Jack, there's a boat." She began to touch his arm, but he still didn't budge. "Jack, wake up darling. There's a boat! Just like you said." She began shaking him harder now, causing his head to sway from side to side. "Jack?" She began to panic now. "Jack wake up!" She gained some new found strength in her and managed to get her voice out pretty loud. "Jack please wake up!" She was crying now while still shaking him.

The men in the life boat were close enough to hear a woman desperately crying for someone to wake up. "She's over there! Go to her quickly! She might not have much time!" They quickly began rowing over to her, calling out to her that everything would be alright, but she ignored them. "Jack!" She couldn't believe the possibility that he could be dead. The life boat finally reached her and one of the men began to reach down for her. At the exact moment the man's hand made contact with Rose's arm to pull her in, Jack's eyes shot open. "Jack!" She screamed, just as she completely blacked out and went unconscious. The man quickly pulled her into the boat and set her down on the floor.

"She's gone unconscious sir!" He yelled to the officer desperately.

"She'll be alright, don't give up on her. Put blankets on her quickly." He handed the man two blankets and he quickly wrapped them tightly around her body as he began warming her up with his hands.

"Help!"

The men looked down into the water and saw Jack waving for them desperately not to leave him.

"Get him out! He's in bad shape!" It took two men to get him in the life boat, and as soon as his body left the water, he too went unconscious.

Rose was still in complete blackness, but she could hear a faint voice calling her name. It sounded as if she were in a tunnel. The voice became a little clearer now, and she could tell it was the voice of a woman. It sounded familiar, yet she couldn't quite place it yet. She began to move her head slightly and she had the ability to stretch out her legs. But she still didn't have the strength, or maybe the courage, to open her eyes yet. She felt extremely comfortable. Whatever she was lying on was definitely soft and warm and molded to her body perfectly.

"Rose!" The voice was right in her hear now, as if the person was hovering right above her. She took a deep breath, and it felt good to her. She felt like she hadn't taken such a deep and meaningful breath since the ice berg hit. It meant she was alive. Her eyes suddenly shot open, and it took them a minute to adjust. When everything finally came into focus, she was mortified, and desperately wished she could close her eyes again.

"Finally, she's awake!"

"Mother?"

"Rose you gave us quite a scare," her mother said with a nervous laugh.

"Where am I? How did I get here?" She asked as she surveyed everything around her. She was no doubt in a room for higher class people. The bed she was laying on was spacious and had big luxurious pillows all over it and she was tucked tightly under very thick red blankets.

"We're on the Carpathia dear. Thank God they found all of us floating pathetically in the water on those silly boats," her mother said rolling her eyes.

"But…how did I get in this room? How did you find me?" She was so confused.

"Well, apparently they found you in the water. How dreadful for you dear, I'm sorry you had to go through with that. But if you hadn't have run away from me in the first place, it never would have happened. But anyway," she said as she put a stray hair behind her hair, "you were unconscious when they got you onto the boat. We were searching for you forever, and finally found you in the infirmary. The captain was lovely enough to give us this extra room, and we decided to keep you in here instead of that dreadful infirmary."

"We?" Rose asked, terrified of the possibility of Cal being near by.

"Yes dear, Mr. Hokley was so worried about you!"

"Ah, I see she's awake." At that moment Cal walked in the room with a glass of brandy in his right hand. He leaned against the door with his other hand in his pocket, and looked at her menacingly. Her heart stopped at the site of him. This was the last thing she wanted, she would rather have died then to be put back in this situation.

"No, I'm not staying here," she said as she struggled to sit up, neither of them helping her. "Where's Jack?" Cal laughed at her.

"You really think that trash survived?" He took a sip of his drink.

"What do you mean?" She said narrowing her eyes at him, "I _know _he survived. I may be weak but I'm not stupid Cal."

"Rose, you should watch the way you speak," Ruth said, eyeing her coldly.

"Where. Is. He." She began to angrily clutch the sheets and glared at Cal with intense hate in her eyes. "You better tell me right now!"

"Darling," he said walking towards the bed, "I told you, he didn't survive. Trust me, I double checked to make sure he wasn't still slithering about. I'm very sorry you lost your little friend dear." He went to touch her cheek but she quickly slapped it away.

"Don't you dare touch me you bastard. You make me sick!"

"Rose!" Ruth gasped in shock.

"I _know _he's alive and I _know _you're both lying to me. He looked at me strait in the eyes before we were rescued. I saw him open his eyes!"

"Rose you must've been hallucinating," her mother said.

Rose pulled the blanket off of her in a hurry and attempted to jump out of the bed before she was stopped by Cal's strong hands.

"And where do you think you're going? You're much too weak to walk yet sweetpea. I suggest you get more rest."

"Get your hands off of me you bastard."

"Fine, try to walk. The doctor said if you even tried to get up you'd fall right down. Your body isn't ready yet." He stepped out of her way and motioned for her to get up as she pleased.

"Your arrogance disgusts me," she said as she went to put her two bare feet on the ground. But as she put her weight on her feet, she started to see stars. And before she could even realize what was going on, everything went black again, and she fell to the ground.


	2. Chapter 2

Jack was still dead asleep in the infirmary. His body shook violently and he was in a cold sweat, his head moving side to side against the pillow.

"He still hasn't woken up?" The doctor asked the nurse as he pulled the curtain around Jack's bed closed.

"No sir, he's still in this spell." The young brunette nurse looked at him with sadness in her eyes. "Can you imagine what he must have went through?"

"It certainly is unimaginable," the doctor said as he jotted some things on his clip board and looked Jack over once more. "He's definitely the worst of them all, we must keep a special eye on him. May I request that you stay to watch him just a little bit longer? I don't want to leave him unsupervised."

"Certainly sir, I'll keep a good eye on him."

"Thank you dear. Its likely that he won't wake up for many days, if he even wakes up at all."

"Do you suppose he'll wake up by the time we dock?" She asked with worry in her eyes.

"I'm afraid that's hard to say," he said as he went to check on another patient. "You're doing a great job dear, keep an eye on him." The young nurse nodded and smiled politely at him before turning her attention back to Jack.

"You poor dear," she said brushing his hair out of his face. "I know you'll wake up, you look like a fighter."

------

"What are we going to do now Caledon?" Ruth asked after they put Rose back in the bed and walked into the next room. "She clearly remembers seeing him alive."

"Ruth, don't even be troubled to think about that. This is almost too easy," he said with a chuckle. "You saw the condition he was in. There's no way he'll be well enough to get around by himself before the ship docks. They won't even cross paths. Also take into consideration the condition that Rose is in. She's very mentally distressed. It won't be too difficult to convince her that she's just imagining things and that he really is dead."

"Well…alright."

"Trust me Ruth. I always get my way."

"Oh I know Mr. Hockley. And once this is all behind us and we get back to Philadelphia, the wedding of the year will be back under way."

"Yes," he said grinning at her, "and I'll finally get my inheritance."

Rose was suddenly awoken from her deep sleep with her heart pounding, similar to the feeling one gets after having a dream that they are falling and suddenly jolt awake at the moment of impact. She tried to sit up suddenly but found that her head was heavy and pounding painfully. She slowly lowered her head back to the pillow while rubbing her temples. She looked around her and realized that she had been sleeping for quite some time, for the room was now dark and light was no longer coming from the window on her left. She wiped her forehead and found that she was drenched in sweat and her curly hair was lifeless and pieces were stuck to her face.

Her mind immediately went to Jack and her eyes welled with tears. She knew he was alive. Other than the fact that she saw his eyes open, she felt it deep in her heart. She turned over onto her stomach and buried her face into the pillow to quiet the sobs that were now coming from deep within her. The last the she wanted was for her mother or Cal to hear her and know she was awake. She quickly stopped crying and wiped away her tears. She was alone in the room and the door was closed; this was her chance to get away. She just prayed she had enough strength to walk out the door.

But first things first – she was dehydrated, extremely dehydrated. She greedily eyed the sink that was on the other side of the room and could almost feel the liquid traveling down her insides. She couldn't even remember the last time something had entered her system.

She slowly inched her way across the spacious bed and swung her legs over the side. She said a silent prayer that her body was strong enough to walk, and once again put her feet onto the floor. She stood there for a moment, almost expecting to faint again. But to her delight, she felt descent. Still weak and frail, but at least she could walk. She tip toed her way over to the sink and very slowly turned the knob, watching the water fall from the faucet. She cupped the water in her hand and brought it to her mouth, closing her eyes in satisfaction as she felt the cool liquid moisten her previously dry mouth.

Once she was satisfied, she quietly walked over to the door and found her delicate shoes sitting perfectly by the door, as if waiting for her. She slowly slipped them on and put her hand on the door knob. Her heart was racing. This was it. Her opportunity to get away forever. She slowly turned the knob, making sure it made as little noise as possible. But as soon as she got the door to crack open, the other door in the room opened and slammed back against the wall, and in walked Cal. She froze in place; fear completely paralyzing her.

"And what exactly are you doing?" He asked in a deep, raspy voice. Her only instinct was to run, so she threw the door open and ran into the hall way. But it only took Cal a few steps to catch up with her, and he grabbed her arm violently and whipped her around to face him. "You know, you're probably the stupidest person I've ever had the pleasure to know," he said smiling at her.

"Please, Cal, just let me go." Tears were streaming down her face, and she was almost on her knees, as if to beg him.

"Why would I let you go, sweetpea? You're my fiancé."

"No I'm not!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. "I'd rather die than marry you!" He angrily pulled her back into the room and slammed the door behind him. His physical power was no match for Rose, especially in her weak condition. It was like throwing a rag doll around for him.

"You better shut your mouth now, Rose, if you know what's good for you."

"As a matter of fact, I _do _know what's good for me, and it isn't you! You, along with mother, and this whole society completely suck the life out of me. You're killing me slowly and you don't even know it." She fell to the floor now, because she still didn't have enough strength to stand up herself.

"What? And you think that gutter rat can you give a better life? You truly are stupid," he said, laughing at her.

"My life would be immensely better if I were with Jack." The thought of him made her stop crying and almost made her smile as she began to speak again. "Jack loves me, so much. I can feel it when he looks at me and when he touches me and the way he speaks to me. He truly cares for me, and he would do anything for me. He saved my life, not once, but twice. He saved me in every way that a person can be saved. And I've fallen in love with him. I truly wouldn't be able to live without him." She looked up at him when she was done speaking and saw the look of disgust on his face.

"You need to learn to speak of him in the past tense, Rose. He's dead, and I don't know how many times I must tell you that!"

"You're still trying to tell me he's dead?" She managed to get a small chucked out of her, "and you call me stupid…"

Cal's hand quickly connected with Rose's face before she could even comprehend what had happened. "I'll teach you to talk back to me," Cal said angrily, grabbing her off the ground, and throwing her violently on the bed.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: There's some violence in this chapter, just to warn you. Enjoy and please review! :)**

Cal threw Rose on the bed with minimal effort. She buried her face into the thick blankets on the bed, crying deeply into them. She would've given anything in that moment to be out of this situation and safely in Jack's warm embrace. She couldn't believe that after all they had been through together and after all she had done to be with Jack, she still ended up back here.

"Don't get me wrong Rose," Cal said as he paced slowly back and forth in front of the bed, "I do love you very much." Rose only cried harder when she heard him say this. It made her sick to her stomach to hear these words from him. "But sometimes your stupidity and naivety makes me dreadfully angry." Rose knew what was coming next. He had hit her in the past several times, but she had a feeling that this would be worse than any beating she had every endured from him before.

"Rose, stop crying this instant. I mean it. There's no reason to act like a child."

"Don't you realize that I despise you?" She sat upright in the bed as she said this, and looked him strait in the eyes. She knew it was dangerous for her to speak back to him in this way, but she didn't care in the moment. She was so fed up with him that she just had to say what she was really feeling.

"Sweetpea, you've only developed these negative feelings for me because of that boy. I realize that you went through a little rebellious phase, but that's all over now. It's time to go back to how it was before."

"How it was before? I hated you before I met Jack. He just made me realize how severe it was. It was just that before I met Jack I learned how to mask my hatred for you quite well. I'm a very good actress if I do say so myself." Cal was breathing heavily now. It was becoming harder and harder for him to keep his composure.

"I know it kills you Cal," she said, sneering at him. "It kills you to know that I love another man and that I could never love you. It kills you that another man has seen my naked body before you. And most of all," she took a sharp intake of breath and threw daggers at him with her eyes, "it kills you that another man took my virginity, and you never even came close."

He slapped her hard across the face when she said this, causing her to fall back on the bed with her hand on her stinging cheek. He quickly grabbed her arms and violently yanked her back into the sitting position to stare him strait in the eyes. "You know its such a pity. To be so young yet so immoral." He was grabbing her arms so tightly that she could literally feel her skin begin to bruise.

"I'm immoral because I made love to a man that I love?" Tears were pouring down her cheeks at this point, and her heart fluttered at the beautiful memory.

"A man who is _not _your fiancé! You're such a little slut Rose, you know that?!" His face was in inch away from hers as he yelled at her and he was shaking her body violently back and forth.

"Cal let go of me! You're really hurting me, let go!" He threw her body onto the ground, and she landed with a loud thud. "Damn you," she winced in pain while grabbing her shoulder which made contact with the hard floor. He kicked her hard in the stomach causing her to scream out in pain.

"Mother!" She called out in desperation. It was the only thing she could think of to do; the only person who could possibly help her.

"She's not in at the moment Rose," he said with a chuckle, "so you better save your breath." He began to walk towards her, causing to her desperately try to shield herself from his next blow. "It's time you give me what should've been mine in the first place." He yanked her up and once again threw her on the bed. She began to scream fiercely as she saw him begin to unbuckle his belt.

"Cal! Please! I beg you, just leave me alone!" Being raped is any woman's worst night mare, and it was about to happen to Rose. She was shaking uncontrollably as he began to walk towards her.

"What on earth is going on in here?" They both turned, startled, towards the door to see Ruth standing there with a maid behind her holding a tray of food. The maid blushed and quickly walked away from the scene while Ruth stood there in shock.

"Ruth this is a private matter between me and my fiancé," Cal said, quickly buckling his belt again.

"Mr. Hockley, you know it is extremely inappropriate to have _any _sexual relations before marriage. I am appalled by your behavior. Now leave Rose to rest, this instant!"

Cal quickly glared at Rose and walked past Ruth, not saying a word to her. As soon as Rose heard the door to Cal's room click shut, she breathed a heavy sigh of relief and laid flat on the bed.

"Rose darling, there's no need to be upset," Ruth said without any emotion, motioning for the maid to enter the room. "Now sit up, I've brought you a hot meal. It will help you gain some strength back."

Rose, who was initially grateful for her mother's help, was not shocked that she didn't care one bit about what was going on. "Mother, leave me alone," her voice cracked as tears continued to fill her eyes.

"Rose I will not have any more of your stubborn behavior. It is vital to your health that you eat. Now sit up this instant. I don't want to continue to have to treat you as a child."

Rose reluctantly sat up and looked at the tray of food that had been placed next to her on the bed. It certainly did look delicious, and she hadn't eaten in a little over twenty four hours. She tentatively picked up the warm piece of bread and took a small bite. She kept her eyes downcast and never made eye contact with her mother, even though she was standing in front of her.

"Rose you must get yourself back together. The ship will dock in only a few days, and life must go on as normal. Do you understand?" Rose didn't say anything to her mother, she just dipped the piece of bread in the warm soup and took a hungry bite. "Rose!"

"What?" There was evident annoyance in her voice. "You know, I really can't believe you mother. You would really keep me locked up in this situation just for your own well being?"

"It's for your well being as well Rose."

"No it's not. Can't you see that it would only destroy me further to stay with Cal? I don't love him mother. I'm in love with Jack. And the fact that you're intentionally keeping him away from me and causing your only child immense pain is beyond my comprehension."

"Rose don't be absurd. There's not way you could possibly love that boy."

"I love him more than the air I breath," she said, looking up at her mother for the first time since their conversation started. "He's my only reason to stay alive. And I know he was rescued, and I know he's on this ship. I feel it. Why do you continue to lie to me?"

Ruth looked down at the ground in shame, trying to hide her true feelings from her daughter. "Rose I don't know what nonsense you're speaking of. I told you that he's dead."

"God, would you stop saying that!" She screamed, shutting her eyes and putting her hands over her ears.

"Rose you need to learn to move on without him! You cannot cancel the engagement. Do you understand how horrible that would make us look?"

"And you think I give a damn?! I really don't care what you say anymore mother. I'm going to find a way to be with him, one way or another."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you so much to those who have read this story and especially to those who reviewed. I hope you enjoy this chapter and don't forget to leave a review! It really does help :)**

By the next morning, Jack's body had stopped shaking and his breathing finally became a little more regular, although he still hadn't woken from his sleep yet. The young nurse had just returned from her breakfast and was back on her duty of watching over Jack. She noticed that he appeared to be getting better, even if he was still sleeping.

"Excuse me, miss?" She turned around, startled, and came face to face with Caledon Hockley.

"Oh, sir, I'm terribly sorry but nobody is allowed back here. I'm afraid you're going to have to leave." He put his hand up to silence her and gave her a sweet smile.

"I would just like to check up on my friend here. You'll allow me to stay for a second, won't you darling?" He cupped her cheek in his hand and gave her another smile. "Well, alright sir. But I'm afraid there's not much to see here. He still hasn't woken up."

"Pity."

"Yes, it truly is."

Cal walked over to the other side of the bed and closely surveyed Jack's sleeping figure. His chest was moving up and down a little slower than normal, and his skin was pale and moist. "So is he still in pretty bad shape?" Cal asked, trying to sound coy.

"Well he's definitely improved from yesterday. But, as you can see, he still doesn't have the strength to wake up yet. He must have been in the water for a very long time. It's a miracle that he's not dead. But I think this young man has something special in him, something to live for."

"Hhm." Cal looked at Jack in disgust. "I'm going to need you to do me a favor…miss…pardon me, what is your name?"

"Oh, my name is Abigail Leonard sir." She gave him a slight curtsey and a smile.

"What a lovely name," he said as he walked back over to her. "Well Miss Abigail, can you possibly do me a small favor?"

"Perhaps I can sir."

"When…and if, this young man wakes up, he's going to be asking for someone. He's going to be asking for a young lady named Rose." She nodded to let him know that she was following him. "It is very crucial that you tell him that you know nothing of a girl named Rose, and that there is not a Rose anywhere on the survivors list. Do you understand?"

"But sir-"

"And you make sure that while he's on this ship, he doesn't leave this room."

"Sir that's not-"

"And one more thing. You don't tell him that I was here either. That shouldn't be too hard now, should it?"

"I'm very sorry sir, but I don't think I can lie to this poor man."

"Miss Abigail, don't be foolish. Do you know who I am?" She looked down, embarrassed. "Well, no sir. I'm sorry. I don't."

He laughed. "My name is Caledon Hockley."

"Hockley?" She asked, her eyes growing wide.

"Yes, and I assume you know that I am a very powerful and important man," he replied to her with his nose in the air.

"Oh yes sir, of course," she nervously gave him another small curtsey.

"I would greatly appreciate it," he said, slipping a twenty dollar bill in the palm of her hand, "if you would do exactly as I requested of you. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir, I do."

"Very good. Have a good day miss."

About ten minutes after Cal had left, Jack began to stir in his bed. He gave a soft moan and slowly his eyes began to open.

"Oh my! Doctor the patient is waking up!" The nurse called out into the hallway, and the doctor came running towards her. He quickly stepped through the curtain surrounding Jack and saw him laying on his side, breathing heavily, with his eyes slightly open.

"Well isn't this a great sight! How are you feeling young man?" The doctor walked over to Jack and bent down to get to eye level with him.

"I feel like…shit." Jack said, finding it unusually hard to swallow. His voice was barely a whisper.

"Ah well that is expected. Could you tell me your name please sir? You do remember you're name, right?"

"Yeah," he said trying to swallow again, "Jack Dawson."

"Well Mister Dawson, I have some hot food waiting anxiously for you."

"I don't want food," he said, closing his eyes again.

"Well I'm afraid you have no choice," the doctor said with a hearty laugh. "Miss Abigail, please come help me sit him up."

"Yes sir."

It was difficult to get Jack to sit upright since he was basically dead weight. But Jack finally found the strength to sit up and rest himself against the bed frame. The nurse promptly retrieved the food tray for Jack and put it over his lap, presenting him with a warm piece of bread, warm soup, a bowl of fruit, and water.

"Now young man, you're going to have to eat everything that's in front of you if you want to get better. And I'm afraid neither of us will leave until you do so," the doctor said as he pulled up a chair. Jack reached for the cup of water and quickly gulped the whole thing down. It moistened his dry mouth and loosened up his tight throat, allowing him to swallow more comfortably. "Ah, I see you were thirsty," the doctor said with a smile. Jack gave him a slight nod before biting into his piece of bread.

"Now Jack, could you tell me the conditions you were in the other night? I need to know how serious of danger your body was in."

"Where's Rose?" He asked, ignoring the doctors question. His heart stung at the fact that he had absolutely no idea where she was. He prayed to God that she was okay and that she was thinking about him as well. Abigail immediately looked down to the floor and nervously scratched her nose.

"Son, answer my question."

"Answer mine," he snapped back with his mouth full of bread. "I was with a girl when I was rescued. She was picked up out of the water before me and she was perfectly fine. I need you to tell me where she is."

"Mister Dawson, it is vital to your health that you tell me the conditions you were in when-"

"No, it's vital to my health that you tell me where Rose is. I won't rest until you tell me that she's safe. Her name is Rose Dewitt Bukater. There has to be a survivors list somewhere. Now can one of you please find out?" He pleaded with them with tears in his eyes.

Abigail's heart was breaking as Jack was begging for them to look for Rose. She could tell that he cared for this Rose girl deeply. She tightly clutched the twenty dollars in her hand and spoke up. "Mister Dawson. I assure you that Rose is alright."

His head snapped up and he looked at her. "She is? You know this for sure?"

"Yes sir," she gave him a reassuring smile. The doctor looked at her with questioning eyes.

"Well where is she? I need you to bring her to me right away!"

"I'm afraid that's not possible sir."

"Why not?" He threw his spoon down angrily. "Can you at least tell me where she is?" Abigail looked around the room nervously. She didn't know what to say to him.

"Well…she's…being taken care of right now. I cannot tell you anything because…patient confidentiality. Isn't that right Doctor Stevens?" She looked over at the doctor, nodding her head like a crazy person. He just nodded back at her with his eyes brows furrowed. He was completely confused with the exchange that was going on in front of him. "But I promise you that she's fine, sir. Now please…eat your food." She motioned to his soup that was still steaming.

"Okay…" Jack eyed her suspiciously and took a sip of the hot soup. "You're telling me the truth, right miss? You have to understand how much this girl means to me. You really know that she's alright?"

"Yes."

"And on this ship?"

"Yes, yes. Everything is fine with her. Now if you'll excuse me." She quickly left and walked out onto the deck. She was fighting a dilemma within herself. Should she tell Jack about Mr. Hockley, or should she keep her word to him?

**Please review! 3**


	5. Chapter 5

Abigail paced around on the boat deck. She didn't know what to do. Her conscience was telling her that she must tell Jack about the strange exchange she had with Mr. Hockley earlier. But Mr. Hockley had specifically told her not to tell Jack that he was there. She gave him her word.

"Abby, are you alright?" Abigail turned around to see Helen, one of the female maids on the ship, and one of her closest friends looking at her with concerned eyes. Helen and Abigail could almost pass as sisters. They were both short and slim, with very blonde hair and brown eyes.

"Oh yes, I'm fine," she said waving her hand in the air to dismiss Helen's worry. "Just getting a little sun is all. All of this is so overwhelming."

"I know, its all so hard to comprehend. The family I have to tend to is driving me mad."

"Which family?"

"I have to be a maid to Ruth and Rose Dewitt Bukater and I also have to tend to Caledon Hockley. Let me tell you, they're a little difficult to deal with."

Abigail's eyes went wide when she heard this. "Rose Dewitt Bukater?"

"Yes…what, you know her or something?" Helen said with a laugh.

"Helen, I have to tell you something that's really bothering me. But you mustn't tell anyone else, especially Mr. Hockley."

"I knew something was wrong!" Helen said with satisfaction.

"Helen this is serious."

"Alright, alright."

"I have a patient whose name is Jack Dawson-"

"Jack Dawson?" Helen recognized that name. Either Ruth or Cal or Rose was always muttering that name at some point or another, especially Rose.

"Yes. Early this morning that Hockley man came in to check up on him, or at least that's what he said. And he told me that if Jack woke up and started asking for someone named Rose, that I had to tell him that I knew nothing of her and that she wasn't on any survivors list."

"Oh my."

"Yes, I know. So when Jack woke up, he asked for Rose Dewitt Bukater. I didn't know what to do! I know that Mr. Hockley told me not to tell him anything, but Jack was so distraught over her. His eyes welled with tears as he said her name. I just couldn't lie to him and tell him she wasn't alive. So I told him that she was okay, and that I knew for a fact that she was okay. Although I didn't tell him her exact where abouts or the conditions that she was in."

"Well its good you did that," Helen said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "That poor Jack doesn't deserve to be lied to. Especially after everything he's been through."

"You're right…I just don't know if I should tell him about Mr. Hockley."

"Well I'll let you in on something, as long as you don't repeat it."

"Alright."

Helen leaned in close to Abigail, making sure no one else could hear them. "I've been tending to that Rose girl. And she's in a very weak condition. I mean mentally as well as physically. And I don't blame her. Mr. Hockley is her fiancé, and he abuses her horrifically. He talks down to her all the time, calls her names. And just last night I walked in on him almost about to rape her. It was so awful. That poor girl cries all the time. She's so young, about our age. I wish I could comfort her. She always talks about this Jack and how much she loves him. They must be lovers."

"Oh my goodness. That is so horrible. I really feel like we should tell Jack something. Maybe this Rose could be in trouble. And I think he loves her as well. The look in his eyes when he was talking about her said it loud and clear."

"Well we should go talk to him before its too late."

Abigail and Helen quietly walked back into the infirmary and over to where Jack's bed was. Abigail pulled back the curtain to reveal Jack sleeping once again, except this time it seemed as if he was in bad condition again. His body was shaking again and his head moved back and forth on the pillow. He began calling out very softly, "Rose! Rose!", over and over again. Helen looked at Abigail with sad eyes.

"Wake him up Abby, he needs to know." Abigail walked over to Jack and put her hand softly on his cheek and slightly tapped it in an effort to wake him up subtly.

"Mr. Dawson, I need you to wake up."

"Rose…Rose…" it was still barely above a whisper.

"I have something to tell you about Rose, but you must wake up." After noticing no change in him, Abigail grabbed his shoulders and began to shake him. "Jack I need you to wake up!" He suddenly opened his eyes then, and his body stopped shaking. "Mr. Dawson, I'm sorry to wake you, but there's something I need to tell you."

Jack looked at her with angry eyes. "You weren't telling me the truth about Rose," he said in a low, raspy voice. "I know you weren't. Something's wrong with her, I can feel it." He was getting angrier by the second and tears started pouring from his eyes. "Don't you dare lie to me about her. She means everything to me."

"Mr. Dawson I'm terribly sorry." She looked down at the ground, ashamed that she had been caught lying. "You're right, I wasn't telling you the whole truth. But I'm going to now." Jack sat up slowly as she said this, telling her with his eyes to keep going. "Well, you see, Rose is alive and well. And she is on this ship. But…"

"But…" His heart was racing. He swore if anything bad happened to her he would never forgive himself for it.

"A man came to see you today while you were still sleeping. A man named Hockley." Jack's blood ran cold.

"What?" his face became panic stricken.

"Yes. He said he was coming to check up on you. And while he was here he told me to not tell you anything about Rose. He specifically said that if you asked about her, to tell you that there was no Rose anywhere on the survivors list. He gave me money to keep my silence. She is alive, sir, rest assured in that. But I'm afraid she's in the hands of this man. Helen here," she turned motioning to Helen who stood behind her, "is taking care of Rose and Mr. Hockley while they're on this ship, and she has told me that he's not very kind to Miss Rose."

Jack put his head in his hands and breathed heavily. How could he let this happen? He had tried so hard to protect Rose from Cal and now she was back in his possession.

"I can help you sir," Helen said, stepping forward.

"How could you possibly help me?" He asked, his voice cracking. "The woman I love is in danger right now and I can do nothing about it. I can barely breath on my own let alone actually get up and walk. How could this happen?" He continued to sob into his hands.

"Well sir, as Abigail said, I'm Miss Dewitt Bukater's maid while she's on the ship. So, if you want, I can leave her a message for you. Between Abby and myself, you can communicate with her. Maybe find a way to get her out…"

Jack looked up at Helen with some new found hope. "Would you really do that for me?"

"Of course sir. She speaks of you all the time. She even says that she loves you."

"She does?" Jack couldn't help but smile when he heard this.

"Yes sir. I'll go and get you a piece of paper so you can write her something and I will personally deliver it to her. And I promise, as soon as she gives me a message for you, I'll hurry right down and return it."

Jack was ecstatic now. Perhaps this could really work. They could work out a plan by secretly talking back and forth. He had a feeling deep inside that everything would be alright now.

_Rose,_

_I've only just woken up this morning since we were rescued. I can't even begin to describe how relieved and happy I am that you are alive and safe. And you can now rest assured that I am alright as well. It kills me to know that you're back in the hands of Cal. I'm so sorry, but I promise I'll take you away as soon as I can. I promise that after this whole night mare is over, I'll take you far away and protect you forever._

_For now, just stay with Cal. You don't want to cause any problems with him or make him suspicious. It wouldn't be safe if you did that. The point of this letter is just to let you know that I am alive and am resting in the infirmary, trying to get my health back as soon as I can. Please stay safe._

_Jack_

Jack folded the piece of paper and handed it over to Helen. "You're going to give this to her right now right?"

"Yes, I'm going there strait away."

"And you'll bring back her response as soon as you possibly can?"

"Don't worry Mr. Dawson," she said with a smile, "she'll be so happy to hear that you're alright that I'll probably be back here within five minutes."

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	6. Chapter 6

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Rose sat in the living room of the suite she was forced to share with her mother and Cal. She aimlessly looked out the large window towards the open sea. They were still nowhere near land. The Carpathia had two more days to sail before it reached New York. Rose prayed to God she would be able to escape Cal in time and find Jack. She knew that she would die without Jack. Her heart ached for him. She hadn't seen his face or felt his touch or heard his voice in over twenty four hours.

After she was given a hot meal and got enough rest and sleep, she was feeling much better. She could get up and walk around without feeling light headed or nauseas and her body didn't hurt as much anymore. She wondered how Jack was doing and if he was as sick as she was. Of course, she didn't have any solid proof that he was alive, but she felt deep in her heart that he was.

"Rose, Mr. Hockley and I are going for a stroll along the deck. Its such a lovely day out. It would be nice if you would accompany us." Rose turned around and looked at her mother who was slipping some dainty gloves on her frail hands. Her mother was wearing some donated clothes from some other first class passengers, as was Cal. But Rose refused to wear anything donated from any prissy first class women who didn't actually give a damn what they went through. Her mother begged her all morning to change the light pastel colored dress she was still wearing, but Rose didn't budge.

"No mother, I'm still not feeling well," she replied, lying strait to her mother's face.

"It's a beautiful day outside Rose," Cal said, walking into the room. "Its only one o'clock, we have the whole day ahead of us to enjoy the day." Rose rolled her eyes at him and turned back around. She didn't even give him the common courtesy to answer him. She couldn't believe that they were acting as if absolutely nothing had happened; that hundreds of people, some that they even knew, had died.

As soon as Ruth and Cal left the room, Rose went to grab her shoes. This was her chance to get away. She knew it was a great risk and that they could possibly find her on the ship somewhere, but she was willing to take the chance. It was her only opportunity to try and find Jack. Before she headed out the door, she realized that it would be wise of her to take some money. Before she could reach Cal's room to rummage through his things to take some money, the front door opened and Helen, her temporary maid, stepped into the room.

"Helen, you're dismissed for the day. I no longer need you. Now please leave."

"Miss Rose I have something for you," she said, closing the door behind her. Rose could tell by the look on Helen's face that she was up to something.

"What is it?" She asked curiously. Her body language loosened up a bit, motioning for Helen to come closer to her. Helen walked over to her and held a folded piece of paper in her right hand.

"This is a letter from a Mr. Jack Dawson. He asked me to deliver it personally."

"What?!" Rose's eyes grew big and she instantly snatched the letter from Helen's hand, and with shaking hands, opened the letter and read it. A genuine smile grew upon her face and she let out a happy yelp. "Thank you Helen!" She abruptly embraced Helen in a big bear hug, causing Helen to laugh and gratefully hug Rose back. "This is such great news," Rose said once she broke the embrace. "I need to go see him now!"

"No Miss Rose," Helen said, holding Rose back. "He doesn't want you to leave and go to him just yet. He's still very sick and he's in the infirmary. He can't even walk on his own yet, miss. Don't worry," she said once she saw the worry on Rose's face, "he's getting better every hour, but he's still in critical condition. He requests that for now, you stay here with your family so that no one suspects anything."

"But this is my perfect opportunity to leave!" Rose said desperately.

"No, Mr. Hockley knows where Jack is, and he could easily find you. Jack requests that you stay here with Mr. Hockley until Jack is well enough. For now, it would make him very happy if I could return to him with a message from you."

"But I don't understand," Rose said, putting her left hand on her forehead and sitting down on the couch, "doesn't he want to see me? Doesn't he want me to come to him? Doesn't he miss me?" She asked with tears in her eyes.

"Oh yes Miss, he misses you terribly," Helen said sitting down next to Rose. "He's doing this to keep you safe. He loves you so much. I think you should just do what he asks. He seems like a very smart man."

"Yes, he is," Rose said. It warmed her heart to know that he wanted to keep her safe from Cal, even if it meant staying with him for one more day or two.

"Would you like to give a message to Mr. Dawson?"

"Oh, yes! What a great idea." Rose eagerly hopped up from the couch and over to the table to grab a piece of paper and a pen. She sat down at the table and began to write with a small smile on her face.

_Jack_

_I'm so ecstatic to hear that you're alive and well. I've been going crazy thinking about where you were and how you were doing. But now that I know, its like a huge weight is lifted off of my shoulders. I won't lie to you Jack, I've been miserable on this ship without you, and Cal treats me worse than he did before, if that's even possible. Even though I wish I could come to you this very second, I'll grant you your wish and stay here, for the time being. The only thing that's giving me hope is knowing that once we get to New York I can escape from Cal and mother and be with you to start a new life. Its going to be so wonderful, Jack. I will be thinking of you forever until I finally see you and am in your warm embrace. Please, stay safe and do everything the doctor says to get healthy and strong again. I will see you soon, darling._

_Rose_

Rose stood up from the chair and walked over to Helen. She folded the paper and gave it a small kiss before handing it to her. "Please deliver this to him right away."

"Of course Miss Rose. Its so lovely to actually see you smile. I'll come back later for some news from him."

"Thank you Helen." Rose watched as Helen walked out of the room, leaving her alone once again. Rose let a quiet squeal of pure joy escape her lips and she clasped her hands over her beating heart. It felt as if it could burst from pure happiness and love. She finally knew that Jack was alive and that he still wanted to be with her. She slipped her shoes back off and went back to look out the window, except this time, instead of just endless ocean ahead of her, she saw her whole life ahead of her.

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	7. Chapter 7

Helen rushed out of the first class area and back towards the lower decks of the ship where the infirmary was located. It was like Helen had gotten high off of Rose's happiness as she was flying around the ship with a smile on her face. Once she reached the infirmary she unexpectedly crashed right into Abigail, and they both landed on the floor in a heap, breaking into hysterics.

"What are you in such a rush for?" Abigail asked, brushing her skirt off.

"I've returned with a letter!" She said, holding it up for Abigail to see with a triumphant smile on her face.

"Great. I'll take it to him for you."

"Thanks, I have to get back to work. But tell him not to worry. I'll be back as soon as I can to pass on another message for him."

The girls went their separate ways and Abigail walked all the way to the back of the infirmary where Jack's bed was located. Just as she was about to walk in, the doctor emerged from the curtain.

"Oh, good afternoon doctor Stevenson."

"Hello Miss Abby."

"Were you checking up on the patient?"

"Yes, he just had another meal and I gave him a little something to help his immune system along. I also gave him something to help him sleep. He doesn't quite understand the amount of rest his body needs. It was almost impossible to get him to take the medicine."

"Well he'll be thankful when he recovers faster."

"Yes ma'am. Now if you'll excuse me, I have someone else to tend to. Please keep going with your rounds. You're doing a fine job."

"Yes sir."

Abigail watched the doctor walk away before she stepped through the curtain, only to find Jack sleeping quite peacefully. She smiled to herself when she noticed that the color in his face was starting to come back. Even though his breathing was still irregular, he had stopped sweating and shaking, which was a very good sign. She quietly walked over to his bed and brushed a stand of hair out of his face. 'No wonder that girl loves him so much,' she thought to herself. She put the letter right next to him on the bed so it would be the first thing he saw when he woke up. She slowly turned to leave, but stopped dead in her tracks and turned back towards him. Her guilty conscience was pulling at her heart strings. She reached into the pocket on her skirt and pulled out the twenty dollar bill that Cal had given her as bribe money, and as carefully as she could, slipped the money into Jack's pocket and left him to rest. She knew that he would need it way more than her anyway.

--

Cal walked into the room to find Rose taking a nap on the couch. The skirt of her dress was up to her knees, revealing her bare legs and feet. Her red hair was sprawled out on the pillow and her hands were tucked under her chin. He walked over to her and bent down to look at her. She was beautiful, especially in her sleeping state. He looked over her lovingly and reached up to gently push some stray strands of hair out of her face. This caused her to stir a little and take her hands out from under her chin. That's when he noticed that her engagement ring wasn't on her finger. He stood up quickly and looked around the area that she was in, but he didn't see it anywhere. He began to get extremely angry. He wondered why she never listened to him or didn't ever seem to be phased or intimidated by him.

"Rose, wake up." He slightly pushed her shoulder which caused her eyes to slowly flutter open. When she saw him standing above her she sighed heavily and shut her eyes in aggravation.

"I was taking a nap, Cal. I'm still very tired. Please leave me alone." She put her hands back under her chin and adjusted herself to a comfortable position.

"Rose where is the engagement ring?" She didn't budge at all. It almost seemed like she didn't even breath. "Rose! This is not funny, that ring is very expensive. Now where is it!" She finally opened her eyes when he yelled at her and she sat upright on the couch.

"I put it in your room, Cal."

"Why would you do that, Rose?" His voice began to get even louder and more angry. She looked down at her hands nervously. She had taken it off in the moment of being so happy to know that Jack was alive. But now, she was reconsidering it. She knew that doing that would cause Cal to get suspicious about Rose's intentions and make him very angry, maybe even angry enough to hit her again, or worse. She remembered that Jack specifically told her to stay with Cal and not make him angry or suspicious for her safety. She tried to come up with a good excuse to get out of the situation and make Cal just walk away from her.

"Well, it was just that I wanted to take a nap…and…it was just uncomfortable for me to sleep with it on…"

"Rose, you think I'm stupid, don't you?"

"No," she said, looking up at him. "Really Cal, I didn't do it to disrespect you or anything." He just stared at her, trying to decide whether or not she was telling the truth. "Honest Cal." Her foot bobbed nervously up and down. The look in his eyes told her that he didn't believe her, but she could tell he wouldn't hit her over it. He just quickly walked away from her and promptly returned to her and handed her the ring.

"Put it back on. And I don't want to see it off your finger again Rose, do you understand?"

"Yes." She said quietly.

--

About two hours later, after having to act civil towards Cal and Ruth and finally changing clothes to please the both of them, Helen returned to their room to present them with dinner. Rose watched her intently as she set up the food in front of them to see if she perhaps had something else from Jack, but it seemed as if she didn't. Before they began eating, Rose excused herself and quickly followed Helen into her room, trying her hardest to not make it seem suspicious.

"Don't you have another letter for me from Jack?" Rose asked putting her hand out in front of Helen, as if to silently beg her to hand it over.

"I'm sorry Miss, but Jack has been sleeping all day. Nurse Abigail, who is looking after Jack, told me that the medicine that the doctor gave him made him sleepy. He unfortunately hasn't even read your letter yet."

"Oh," she said, looking down sadly. "Well…at least he's getting his rest."

"Please don't worry Miss Rose, as soon as he wakes up he'll read the letter. He just needs to get better first."

"Of course," she said, giving Helen a small smile. She heard Ruth and Cal laughing in the other room and her heart sank. How much longer was she going to have to put up with this before she could get away? "Just promise me that you'll check on him very frequently, and come to me immediately if you get any news."

"Yes ma'am."

Rose went back to eat with Cal and Ruth, putting on a fake smile. "Rose you look lovely in that dress," Cal said, smiling at her devilishly, making her clench her teeth.

"It was so lovely of Miss Maywhether to lend it to you," Ruth said, taking a dainty bite of her food.

"Oh yes, very kind of her."

--

Later that night, around 11 o'clock, Rose laid in bed. She was on top of the covers in a white sleep dress that was also donated to her. It was similar to the one she wore on the Titanic. She laid on her back with her hands on each side of her, tears slowly dripping down her face. Helen had come back to the room once more, but only to tell her that Jack was still in a deep slumber, and probably wouldn't wake up until the next day. Rose had never felt lonelier than at that moment. Knowing that Jack was on the same ship as her but she couldn't see him was killing her. Cal had tried to kiss her before she went to bed, but she was luckily able to brush him away without him getting too aggressive.

She continued to lay there, breathing heavily, tears streaming down her face. She suddenly sat up and wiped her face with the back of her hands. She couldn't take this anymore, it was pure torture. She decided that she was going to see him right this instant. She didn't care if it was risky that she could get caught or if its exactly what Jack told her not to do. She couldn't take it anymore. She was going to see him.

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	8. Chapter 8

Jack slowly began to wake up from the deep sleep he was in. He took in a very deep breath and stretched out his arms and legs. He felt much better than he did earlier in the day when he was awake. Maybe the doctor was right about taking that medicine.

He looked next to him and saw a small piece of paper folded in two, and he instantly smiled and quickly sat up. He remembered writing Rose a note and knew that she had written him back. He read it slowly and carefully, admiring the beautiful way in which she wrote. He let out a huge sigh of relief after he finished reading it and rested his head back against the wall. It was so great to know that she was actually alive. Jack looked at the clock above his head and saw that it was eleven o'clock. He assumed since it was dead silent in the infirmary that it was eleven o'clock at night, since during the day the place was always quite noisy. He knew there was no one around at this hour and that Rose was most likely asleep, so writing her back right now would be useless.

---

Rose hopped off of the bed and grabbed the same black coat that she was wearing the night of the sinking and buttoned it up so nobody would see her night gown. She quickly examined herself in the mirror and decided she looked decent. Even though she was sure Jack would still be asleep, she still wanted to look nice for him. She slipped her delicate shoes on her feet and quietly walked over towards the door that lead to the hallway. She knew that both Ruth and Cal were asleep at this hour, but she still had to be extremely quiet.

When she managed to get out into the hallway successfully, she let out a big sigh and started walking down the hallway. She had never been outside of the room before, so she was lost for a couple of minutes until she finally found her way out onto the boat deck. It was a chilly night, so she pulled the coat as tight around her as she could.

"Excuse me, can you direct me to the infirmary please?" She politely asked to a young man on duty.

"It's a little late to be walking around alone, Miss." He said, eyeing her up and down.

She rolled her eyes at him and said "I think I can manage to walk by myself. Now could you please do your job and answer my question." He told her the directions and she headed off to find it, thanking him annoyingly in the process.

She walked along the boat deck until she got to the lowest deck, and she was startled at what she saw. The third and second class Titanic survivors were all sitting or laying on the deck, most of them asleep. Some of the women were still awake, weeping over the people they possibly lost in the sinking. Rose's eyes welled with tears as she looked at all these women who were now all alone in the world. She shuddered at the thought that that could've very easily been her. She said a silent prayer as she walked past them and followed the sign to the infirmary.

Her heart pounded as she walked into the room. It was deathly quiet, for most of the patients were sleeping.

"May I help you?" A petite brunette girl popped up in front of her. She had a clipboard in her hand and she was dressed in a nurse outfit, doing her light night shift rounds.

"Yes, actually. I'm looking for a Jack Dawson."

"I'm afraid it's a little late Miss. All of the patients are sleeping right now."

"I understand," she said, "but this is really important to me. I promise, I won't wake him up if he's still sleeping. Can I please just see him?"

"Miss, I'm afraid-"

"Please?" The nurse looked at the girl in front of her whose eyes were filling with tears and her hands were clasped in front of her heart, a silent gesture of begging. "Alright," the nurse said, defeated. "But you _must _be quiet and do not wake him if he's still sleeping."

"I promise I won't."

The nurse looked down at her clip board and found Jack's name. "He's the very last one on the left. The curtain opens from the right side. Make sure to close the curtain while you're in there and after you leave, for patient privacy." Rose thanked her gratefully and briskly walked all the way down.

Jack heard the sound of heels clicking on the tile, coming closer and closer to him. He knew it wasn't the nurse, because they didn't wear heels while they were on duty. His heart began to pound as he heard the steps stop right in front of his room and stop.

Rose was standing on the other side. Her hand was shaking as she went to open the curtain. This was it. The love of her life was on the other side of the curtain, and she was about to come face to face with him.

She opened the curtain and her heart stopped when she saw him. "Jack!" She cried with tears falling down her face. He quickly sat up in his bed and motioned for her to come to him. "Rose what are you doing here?!" She ran to him and threw her arms around him and buried her face in his chest, sobbing quietly. He wrapped one arm around her back and put his other hand on top of her head.

"Rose, you weren't supposed to come here," he said, kissing her head. She didn't say anything, just kept sobbing into his chest. She was too overwhelmed with emotion to speak just yet. "I'm so glad you're safe," he said into her hair. He took in the smell and the feel of her, cherishing the beautiful moment. He let a tear fall into her hair as he continued to kiss the top of her head.

"Jack." Her voice was barely a whisper, masked with tears.

"Rose, look at me." She slowly lifted her head to reveal her bright green eyes. He smiled at her and wiped her tears away with his thumb. "Hey there," he said, smiling at her.

"Hi." She let a small laugh out as she looked deep in his eyes.

His thumb moved down to caress her cheek and then moved to her full red lips and he softly touched them, causing Rose's eyes to close as she treasured the feeling of him touching her. She slowly opened her eyes again and saw him looking at her carefully. He slowly started to lean in towards her, his gaze never leaving hers. She knew he was silently asking her if it was alright to kiss her, and she answered him by closing the space between them and putting her mouth hungrily on his. They kissed slowly, their lips rubbing softly together. Rose put her hand on Jack's cheek as he put his hand on her lower back, pulling her in closer to him. She pushed her chest against his as their tongues met. At the contact of their tongues she put her other hand on the other side of his face and continued to deepen the kiss.

When they pulled away from each other they were both out of breath and they looked at each other in wonder, much like they looked at each other the first time they made love. They were each in amazement of the other and couldn't believe how much love there was between them.

"Jack I've been so miserable without you." She unconsciously let another tear fall from her face and he was quick to wipe it away.

"Please don't cry. I can't stand to see you cry."

"I can't stay with Cal any longer. Its killing me to simply be around him."

"I know Rose, but he knows that I'm here. If you suddenly disappear he'll know where you are, and I can't exactly defend you right now. I can't even stand yet." She then remembered the condition he was in and looked over his body. He was tucked under some blankets and she could see the outline of his body underneath.

"I'm so sorry Jack. I shouldn't have left you in that water."

"Rose, I knew I would make it. I wasn't concerned about me, anyway. My only concern was you."

"I know, but you could've died because of me." She tenderly put her hand on his chest and avoided his eyes. She was so ashamed.

He put his hand under her chin and lifted up her head to look at him. He tenderly kissed her to let her know that he harbored no negative feelings towards her. He went to try to move his legs but winced in pain, causing Rose to look at him with a worried expression.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, don't worry. Its just my body is still really sore and stiff." She lightly rubbed her hand over his legs and smiled at him. "Rose, don't do that," he said, taking her hand away.

"Why not?" She asked confused.

"Because," he began, his cheeks turning red, "you don't understand what your touch does to me." She bowed her head and giggled lightly. "God, you're so beautiful," he said as he ran his fingers through her bright hair. She took his hand from her hair and lightly kissed his palm and brought it down to her lap.

"What am I supposed to do now, Jack?"

"Well, you're gonna have to go back him tonight Rose," he said, hanging his head low.

"Jack, you know I don't sleep in the same bed as him right? We're not married, I have a separate room," she reassured him, seeing the pain in his eyes.

"I know, I just wish you didn't have to go back there."

"It wasn't my choice. I just woke up in a room with them. If I hadn't been unconscious I would've done everything in my power to stay away from him."

"I know. But you should really go back Rose. Its getting late."

"But I want to stay here with you," she said, putting her head on his chest.

"I'm so sorry Rose. I promise you that once I'm better and once the ship docks I'll take you away from him forever."

"I can't wait to be with you," she said, smiling into his shirt. She picked her head up and kissed him on the lips. They shared a sweet kiss before she broke away with tears in her eyes. "Well, I guess I'll see you soon…"

"Don't worry Rose. Everything is going to be alright now." She smiled at him and kissed him once more. She trusted him completely and knew he would take care of her.

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	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: This chapter contains a lot of violence, just to warn you.**

Rose quickly walked back to her cabin before it got too late. She couldn't stopped smiling as she walked; she felt like she was floating. It felt so good to see his face, and even better to kiss him. She never knew kissing someone could feel like that; like there were fireworks going off in her heart and for sheer pleasure and lust to flow through her. There was no question in her heart that she was in love with him.

She eventually found her way back to her room and quietly opened the door and closed it behind her. She did it. She went to see Jack and didn't get caught for it. She slipped off her shoes and began feeling her way through the pitch black dark for the lamp switch. When she finally found it and switched it on, she saw Cal sitting on the other side of the room with his arms folded and a deathly glare in his eyes. She gasped at the sight of him.

"Cal…what are you doing in my room at this hour?" Her heart was beating faster as she could see his breathing becoming heavier by the second. She scorned herself for not listening to Jack and not staying in her room.

"Where were you Rose?" His voice was so deep that she could've swore she felt the ground vibrate from it.

"I just…went for a little stroll. I was getting so anxious staying in here."

"You went for a stroll? At this time of night? In your night gown?" He said, motioning to where the lacy fabric of the night gown peeked out from under the coat.

"Well…I…."

"Stop talking." He got up from the chair he was sitting on and walked over to her and stood towering in front of her. She began shaking as he stood in front of her. She was genuinely terrified of what he might do. "You went to see him, didn't you?" Rose opened her mouth to protest, but nothing came out. She knew that he could see the look in her eyes; the look she got whenever she thought about Jack. There was no use trying to convince him otherwise, because he knew.

"Yes." It was barely a whisper, but he heard it.

"And why would you do that Rose?" He was just playing with her at this point. He knew how scared she was at this moment and how much power he had over her.

"Because…I just wanted to make sure he was alright. That's all."

"That's all?" He looked down at her lips and noticed that they were moist, plump, and full of color. The last time he saw her they were colorless and dry. "I can't believe how much of a slut you are." He slapped her hard across the face, causing her to yell out and clutch her burning cheek. She couldn't take this anymore. She didn't care if he tried with all his might to make her stay with him. She had to leave.

"I'm so sick of you!" She screamed. "What kind of man hits a woman?"

"A powerful man."

"No, a _weak _man hits a woman. You want me to be your wife yet you abuse me like I'm dirt. You're truly delusional." She began to walk away from him to head for the door, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him, causing her to crash into his chest.

"You're not going anywhere, sweetpea."

"Cal let go of me!" She began pounding on his chest, but he just laughed at her and hit her once again, much harder this time. But Rose quickly recovered and said "Fuck you!" That's when he hit her again, but this time with a closed fist. It connected with the top of her right cheek bone, close to her ear. The impact caused her whole body to whirl around and she fell to the ground. She laid on the ground, crying silently. The pain was engulfing her whole body and she couldn't move.

He bent down to her and moved the hair from her face, showing a large cut where he had hit her with blood dripping down from it. "Why do you make me do this to you, Rose?"

"I hate you," she said, crying. "Jack would never put his hands on me. EVER." At the sound of Jack's name he lost his temper again. He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up to her feet and backed her against the wall, closing his large hand around her delicate neck. She tried with all her might to get away from his hold, but he was much too strong for her. The color started fading from Rose's face and he smiled in satisfaction. Before she could pass out, he let go and threw her to the floor. She gasped desperately for air when she hit the ground.

"You bastard! You could've killed me!" She said, clutching her burning neck.

"Don't be absurd," he said casually, "I wouldn't kill you. You still need to marry me, remember?"

"No!" Even though she was physically weak, there was no way she was going to give into him. He got fed up with her and kicked her swiftly in the stomach, causing her to roll over on her side, with her back to him. He then kicked her in the same spot, but in her back. She let out a blood curdling cry. He let her lay there for a second, listening to her cry. He picked her up by her arms and started violently shaking her back and forth, his fingers leaving bruising prints on her white skin.

"You don't know what's good for you, Rose," he said once he stopped shaking her. "And I am the one who is good for you, not that piece of garbage."

Everything around Rose was going dizzy. Her whole body was throbbing. Only seconds later she fell into blackness and went limp in Cal's arms. He grunted, annoyed, and placed her on the bed. He didn't bother to remove her shoes or her coat or tuck her under the blanket. He just walked out of the room, fully confident that by the time morning came, she would have learned her lesson.

--

Early the next morning, Helen returned to their suite to resume her duties. She laid out breakfast for the three of them, but noticed that Rose was missing. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach about why she wasn't there. "Is Miss Rose not coming to breakfast this morning?" She asked, holding Rose's plate of food.

"She's been asleep all morning," Ruth said carelessly. "Be a dear and go wake her up, she needs to resume her normal schedule." Helen looked at Cal and noticed that he sat quietly looking out the window, never making eye contact with her.

She gracefully walked out of the room and knocked on Rose's door. "Miss Rose? Are you awake?" She waited for several seconds but heard nothing, the worry in her growing by the second. After hearing nothing from the other side of the door, she slowly opened it and gasped at what she saw. Rose was in the same position she was in when Cal had left her the night before. The coat and her shoes were still on, her hair was a mess, and the bruises and cuts Cal had imprinted into her body had gotten worse over the night. Helen closed the door behind her and rushed over to Rose, not sure of what she should do. She examined the large cut below Rose's eye brow and saw the bruise that was starting to develop with it. She knew this was all Cal's fault. "Miss Rose?" She lightly tapped Rose's cheek, but she didn't move. She began to tap it even harder, but still she didn't even flinch.

"What's wrong with her?" Ruth asked walking into the room.

"Um, I'm not sure ma'am. She appears to have been beaten," she said signaling for Ruth to come closer to Rose, but Ruth didn't move from the door way. She just looked Rose over, with no emotion in her eyes.

"Wake her up and tell her to come to breakfast," was all Ruth said before she left the room, leaving Helen dumbfounded. She couldn't believe that Rose's own mother didn't care that she was extremely hurt. Helen looked down at Rose and knew exactly what she had to do.

--

That morning, Jack felt rejuvenated and was even able to get out of bed and walk around without any problems. He knew that Rose coming to see him gave him the extra boost he needed that even medicine and rest could not give him.

"I still think it would be best if you stayed in our care a little bit longer, Mr. Dawson," the doctor said to him as he watched Jack button up his shirt. "We don't dock until tomorrow night, there's no need to be in a hurry to leave."

"Ah no worries," he said giving him a smile, "I need to get out of this small room anyway. It'll be good for me."

"You've made a great recovery, Mr. Dawson," Abigail said to him with a smile.

"I can't thank you enough Miss," he said to her with genuine eyes. "You've been such a help to me."

Just then Helen came running into the room as fast as she could with her delicate heels on. All three of them looked at her with a concerned look, especially Jack.

"Mr. Dawson!"

"What's wrong?" He asked, stepping up to her. "Is Rose alright?" He knew that if nothing was wrong then she wouldn't be frantically trying to find him.

"No, she's not. I found her this morning in her bed. She looks as if she's been beaten up really bad, sir. I think her fiancé is at fault for it sir. You must come right away. If she stays with them any longer she could be in even more trouble than she already is."

Jack stared at her with tears and anger in his eyes. "Take me to her right away."

**Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. Please remember to leave a review for me. :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you so much to those who read and review my story!**

Jack followed Helen along the path to Rose's room only a step behind her. He was full to bursting with anger and hatred towards Cal. He couldn't wait until he could get his hands on him.

"Its this room here," she said putting the key in the lock. "Are you sure you want to do this now? Mrs. Dewitt Bukater and Mr. Hockley are still here. It might cause some trouble."

"Open the door," he said frantically. She did as she was told and twisted the key in the lock until it clicked and she opened the door. Jack pushed past her into the room to find Rose laying on the bed with a cut and bruise near her eye. He rushed over to her side and sat next to her on the bed. "Oh, Rose," he whispered as he brushed a stray curl away from her face. He leaned down and gently kissed her on the lips. He moved his mouth over to her ear and whispered lovingly into it. "I promise you Rose, I'm gonna take you away from this forever. You'll never have to worry ever again, I'm always gonna be here to protect you." Helen watched the scene in front of her with tears in her eyes.

"Does this door lead to the suite?" Jack asked Helen, pointing towards the other door in the room.

"Yes sir…" she said hesitantly, "they're in there."

Jack stood up and walked towards the door with fire in his eyes. Without any hesitation he opened it and quietly closed it behind him as not to disturb Rose. He walked in to find Ruth and Cal finishing up their breakfast. Neither one of them seemed to notice that he was there until he spoke up.

"You're gonna pay for that, you son of a bitch."

Cal looked up and stared at Jack with a surprised and horrified expression on his face. He calmly put his napkin down and stood up from the table. "I see you've recovered. I was hoping you wouldn't wake up."

"How on earth did you get in here?" Ruth asked, disgusted.

"How could you do that to her?" Jack asked stepping closer to Cal. His fists were clenched and his jaw was shut tightly.

"Easy," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Almost as easy as it was for you to get her to fuck you." Jack's fist connected with Cal's jaw, causing Cal to stumble backwards and hold his jaw in pain. Ruth shrieked and jumped up from her chair.

"Mr. Dawson, I can have you arrested for that!"

"That's your concern right now?" He asked her in disbelief. "Your daughter has been beaten by this piece of shit and all you care about is getting me arrested? You should want Cal arrested!"

"Mrs. Dewitt Bukater understands," Cal said gaining his composure back, "she understands that if a wife disobeys her husband that she must be punished!"

"Maybe in your family but not mine," Jack said with conviction. "No man should ever put his hands on a lady, especially not one that he loves."

"Love?" Cal said, mockingly. "You really think you love her? You might love her for her body, but you don't actually love her."

"I love that girl with every fiber of my being," he said stepping up to Cal. "I would give my life for her and I would do everything in my power to make her happy. While you on the other hand are slowly killing her inside."

"Mr. Dawson, you are not what's good for her," Ruth said. "You don't have anything to offer her. But Cal can give her everything she's ever dreamed of."

"He can't give her love. He can't give her happiness. He can't give her freedom."

"Enough!" Cal screamed, his voice booming through the room. "If you don't leave this instant I will have you arrested."

"I'm not leaving without Rose," Jack said, standing his ground.

"Why? So you can just fuck her some more? Make her even more of a slut than she already is?" Jack swiftly punched Cal in the face again, but this time much harder. Cal tried to throw a punch at Jack, but he was able to dodge it and punched Cal hard in his stomach. Ruth let out a cry and ran out of the room to find the master at arms, leaving Jack and Cal alone in the room. Cal was doubled over in pain, and it only took Jack one more punch to knock him to the ground.

"Mr. Dawson!" Helen screamed, running into the room. "Miss Rose has woken up and she's asking for you."

Jack turned to look at Helen and nodded in her direction. He gave Cal one swift kick in the crotch before running into Rose's bedroom. Helen had taken Rose's shoes and coat off and gotten her under the covers. Rose's hair was sprawled out on the pillow and she was slightly on her side. Jack ran strait to her side and sat on the bed next to her. He quickly scooped her up in his arms and gave her short kisses all along her neck and cheek.

"Jack I'm so glad you're here," she said, cherishing the feeling of him holding and kissing her.

"I'm so sorry I let this happen Rose," he said holding her face delicately in his hands.

"No, I should have listened to you. You knew what would have happened if I left. Its my fault."

"No," he said, gently putting a finger on her lips. "All that matters is that I'm here now, and I'm never leaving you again." She smiled up at him and tenderly touched his cheek. She could hear Cal in the other room moaning in pain.

"Helen, gather some clothes for Rose and put it in that suite case over there. I'm taking her down to the infirmary. She won't be coming back here." Rose smiled at the words that Jack said. She couldn't believe that they would finally be together. Helen quickly gathered up some things for Rose while Jack put on Rose's shoes and the black coat back on her. He then scooped her up in his arms and the three of them quickly walked out of the room.

--

Jack stood next to Rose as she laid in a bed similar to his in the infirmary. He watched anxiously as the doctor examined Rose carefully. "Mr. Dawson I'm afraid you're gonna have to step out of the room now. I have to examine the young lady more closely." Jack nodded slightly and began to leave before Rose desperately grabbed onto his hand.

"Please let him stay," she said, looking at the doctor with pleading eyes. "I need him here with me."

"Miss…it's a little inappropriate."

"Please, sir." The doctor looked at the girl lying in the bed before him. He hadn't seen eyes as sad as hers in a long time, and he knew that Jack was the only person to bring happiness to her. He simply nodded at her and allowed Jack to resume his position standing next to Rose. The doctor laid Rose on her side so that her back was facing Jack and he slowly began to lower her dress to inspect the injuries on her back. Jack watched in horror as he saw a large bruise on Rose's delicate white skin. The doctor gently pushed on the bruise causing Rose to wince in pain.

"That is a very deep bruise you got there," the doctor said sadly. "What happened?"

"He kicked me," Rose said quietly. Jack had to put his hand on the wall to support himself. He was so overtaken with anger and rage that he was sure he would faint. The doctor then gently rolled Rose onto her back, revealing her bare breasts and bare stomach, showing another bruise, equal in size, on her abdomen.

"Same thing here I presume?" The doctor asked, examining the bruise. She simply nodded. She saw Jack quickly wiping his eyes so that she wouldn't see the tears that he was silently shedding for her.

The doctor helped her slip her arms back into her dress before he began to examine her neck which had a large red mark across it. He tilted her head back as he rubbed his finger across the swollen flesh and shook his head. "This appears to be skin to skin contact," he said, "much like the marks you have on your arms. Was this the result of his hand around your neck?" He asked carefully. Again, she simply nodded. "And we've already established that the cut on the side of your face is from his fist, correct?"

"Yes sir."

"Well Miss, your injuries are definitely consistent with those of physical abuse. I presume you will want to press charges?"

"Yes."

"Very well. I'll be right back with the master at arms."

The doctor left the small room, leaving Jack and Rose alone. He slowly sat down next to Rose, avoiding her eyes. She could see that he was trying to hide his face from her so she wouldn't see him cry, no matter how subtle of a cry it was.

"Jack," she said, shyly touching his arm. He turned to look at her and gave her a small smile.

"I'm sorry," he said, wiping his eyes, "that was really hard for me to watch. I'd kill him if I could."

"I don't want to talk about that anymore," she said, tugging at his arm. "I just want to enjoy this moment I have with you."

He smiled down at her and lowered his lips to hers, kissing her softly and sweetly. She rubbed her hand on the nape of his neck as he continued to kiss her. When they finally broke apart, Jack took Rose's hand in his own and looked her deep in her eyes.

"Rose, I deeply regret not being able to tell you this when I first felt it…but I love you, Rose. I love you so much. I can't believe how lucky I am to have found you, and I'm never gonna let you go. I promise that I'll protect you and you'll never have to worry about anything. You're the most amazing woman I've ever known, and I love you."

Rose stared at him with tears in her eyes. She couldn't believe how lucky she was. "I love you too Jack. And even though this is the first time you said it, I already knew."

They smiled at each other and resumed their kiss from earlier.

**Please review! It means a lot 3**


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you all so much for the kind reviews! :)**

A short while later the master at arms walked into Rose's small room. She was sitting on the bed with her legs folded underneath her, criss cross style. She no longer had to worry about her mother telling her to sit up strait or to cross her legs, she had the freedom to do whatever she wanted. Jack was standing up next to her with his hand lovingly on her shoulder and the other in his pocket. They were talking and laughing about something until the master at arms walked in, jolting them back to the reality of the situation.

"Miss Dewitt Bukater?"

"Yes," she said calmly, motioning for him to come in. He walked in with the doctor behind him.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you some questions about what happened," he said taking out a small notepad from his pocket and a pencil, "I need a record of what happened for the police report. I did already get Mr. Hockley's testimony, but I'm going to need yours as well."

"What did he say?" She asked, curious as to what kind of story he made up this time.

"Well Miss, I'm afraid I can't tell you that."

"Alright," she said. "Well he's always slapped me a round a little bit, but its gotten worse while I've been on this ship. He's only ever slapped me, but last night he actually punched with a closed fist, right here," she said moving the hair away from the side of her face to show him the cut and bruise. "He hit me several times. He also put his hand around my neck in an attempt to choke me. He pulled my hair quite a few times and kicked me both in my stomach and my back. This all happened because I told him that I couldn't be with him anymore and that I wanted to be with Jack," she said, unconsciously reaching for his hand. He smiled down at her reassuringly and squeezed her small hand.

"I've very sorry this had to happen to you, Miss," he said. "Now, sir, Mr. Hockley says that you assaulted him…"

"Yes," Jack said confidently. "I found out what he did to Rose and punched him a couple times. Its nothing compared to what he tried to do to us on the Titanic."

"Don't worry sir," he officer said smiling at him, "you are at no fault here." Rose breathed a sigh of relief. "Now Miss, if you want to press charges you're going to have to testify against him in court."

"Whatever it takes."

"We can actually get the court date to take place in a matter of a couple of days after we dock, so it will require that you stay in New York for at least a week."

"Okay," she said, taking in his words.

"We can get it all sorted out once we dock tomorrow evening. What you'll need to do is stop by the New York Police Department to get the information about the court date and what will be expected of you. Give them at least twenty four hours to process the information. Here's the address," he said handing her a piece of paper with an address scribbled across it. She looked it over and handed it to Jack so he could safely put it in his pocket. "Do you have any questions?"

Rose shook her head no but Jack spoke up immediately. "Will he be able to find her for the duration of the trip? I mean, he's in custody, right?"

"Yes sir, he's in custody. Rest assured Miss," he said smiling at her, "you're safe."

"Thank you so much," she said gratefully. The men excused themselves leaving Jack and Rose alone once again. "Well at least we can get this over with soon."

"Yeah," he said sitting down beside her. "You're such a strong person Rose," he said, his heart swelling with pride.

"Well, living with my mother and Cal for the past six months has really given me no choice." He smiled at her sympathetically. "Can we go outside, Jack?" She asked shyly. "I feel like I haven't been outside in years."

"Of course," he said holding his hand out for her to take. She took her legs out from underneath her and put her bare feet on the ice cold tile. She felt as if she could finally feel things again, physically and emotionally. Her body had finally recovered, despite Cal's abuse. Since she was finally with Jack, the only emotion she felt was happiness. She slipped on her shoes and took Jack's hand, leading him out of the room and into the welcoming sun.

She anxiously walked over to the ship railing and put her hands against it. She looked down at the ocean and tilted her head up to the sky, letting the sun seep into her skin. She had nothing but hope and anticipation in her heart. She knew her whole life was ahead of her, and she knew it was going to be great.

Jack stood next to her and put his hand on the small of her back. He admired her beauty as she closed her eyes and titled her head up to the heavens. Her delicate white skin shone with beautiful radiance and her bright red curls danced in the wind. She felt his eyes on her and turned to look at him. She smiled and moved closer to him and put her head on his chest. He moved his arm to close protectively yet lovingly around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.

"Finally," she said, "I can be with you." He smiled into her hair and rubbed his hand up and down her arm, being careful as not to touch the part where she was bruised. "Are you gonna take good care of me?" She teased him with a cocky smile. He laughed at her and kissed her cheek gently.

"From now on, you're my only concern," he said genuinely looking deep into her eyes. She put her head back on his chest and they stood that way together, watching the sunset all the way across the ocean.

--

Ruth paced frantically back and forth through the suite. She was alone since Cal was being held in custody. She had no idea what she was going to do now or where she was going to go. Her whole life depended on Rose marrying into a wealthy family, and it really didn't get much wealthier than the Hockley's. She had tried desperately to convince the master at arms to release Cal saying that it was "absurd to arrest someone of such power", but he didn't listen to her. He simply replied to her with "I don't take kindly to men who hit ladies" and ushered her out of the room. She knew that she only had one more chance to get this right. She had to go find her daughter and somehow convince her to come back to her old lifestyle.

It was now dark outside, around 7 o'clock in the evening. She quickly but properly walked down to where she knew Rose would be – where all the third class passengers were. She found her red head of hair quite easily, but was disgusted with what she saw. She and Jack were sitting on a bench side by side. His arm was around her shoulders as he played with a stray curl in between his fingers. She had her head buried in the crook of his neck and her hand laid gently on his stomach. She was appalled that the daughter that she raised to be a proper lady was showing such public displays of affection.

"Rose Elizabeth," she said sternly as she walked up to them, causing Rose to take her head off of Jack's shoulder and look at her mother with surprise and disgust.

"What do you want?" She asked. She didn't give her mother the courtesy to stand up and talk to her, she stayed in Jack's warm embrace.

"This is extremely inappropriate," she said. "This must end this instant."

Rose simply laughed at her and put her head back into the crook of Jack's neck. Jack looked up at Ruth and tightened his arm around Rose. "I think you should leave," he said flatly.

"I think _you _should get your hands off of my daughter!" Jack could feel Rose's lips curl into a smile against his skin as a slight laugh escaped her.

"You weren't concerned about your daughter when Cal beat her. In fact, you didn't do anything. I don't think you have any right to tell Rose what to do with her life if you don't care about her well being."

Ruth scoffed at him and put her hands on her hips. "Of course I care about her, she's my only child!"

Rose's head flew up at that moment. "That's exactly it mother. The only reason why you're trying to get me to go back with you is because I'm all you have left. You never cared about me. My whole life all you cared about was finding me a suitable husband, even when I was ten years old you were shopping for my husband. I don't ever recall you telling me you loved me or ever asking me how I felt about any situation. All you cared about was yourself, and that hasn't changed. You can try to pretend like you're standing here trying to win me back because you care for me, but in reality, its because you only care for yourself."

Ruth's mouth opened in shock at what Rose said, but nothing came out. She didn't know what to say back to her.

"I think its time you figured out how to take care of yourself mother, instead of relying on me to take care of you."

"Rose how _dare _you speak to me like that!" Rose rolled her eyes at her mother and rested her head back against Jack's warm skin. She knew that if she continued to argue with her mother it would only go around in circles and they would never accomplish anything.

Jack spoke up at that moment. "You should go now. And just let me warn you, if I ever see Cal around Rose ever again, he'll be dead. And I suggest you stay away as well."

Ruth stood looking at him with squinted eyes. "This is all because of you, you filth! If you had never come into her life everything would be just as they were."

"No mother," Rose said bringing her head back up, "if Jack never came into my life, I would be dead."

Ruth lowered her hands from her hips and sighed in defeat. "Fine. This is the life you want? You won't last long Rose. Have a good life." She turned around on her heels and walked back up the stairs to the first class.

"You alright?" Jack said looking down at Rose.

"Yes," she said quietly. "I've been wanting to get that out for a long time." He smiled down at her and kissed her softly on her full lips. Her hand that was on his stomach gripped the fabric of his shirt as the kiss deepened and desire coursed through her body. Jack's body began to shake with desire as their tongues met in unison and he put his hand through her thick red curls. They kissed for several moments before they realized where they were, and softly giggled at each other when they broke apart. She put her head back on his shoulder and he softly kissed the top of her head.

"Get some rest," he said into her ear, "tomorrow is the day we'll start our lives together."

**Please review! It means a lot!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey guys! Sorry it took me so long to update. I'm a college student and my finals are coming up…so its been like hell month for me. But I finally found some time to write. I don't know if I'll have much time to write until the semester is over in like two weeks, so please be patient. Once I'm done with school I'll be able to update everyday once again :)**

Rose began to stir slightly in her sleep. She felt the warm sun on her face as her eyes began to flutter opened. She had her head on Jack's lap while her legs were curled up on the bench. She looked up at him and saw that he was awake and staring towards the open ocean. It was the first time since the sinking that she woke up happy, and seeing Jack's face made it even better. When he noticed that she was moving, he looked down at her and smiled broadly.

"Hey there," he said, bringing a hand to her soft curls and softly stroking her hair.

"Hey." She was so happy and comfortable that she didn't want to get up just yet. She snuggled even closer to him and buried her head into his stomach, causing him to laugh.

"Still tired?" She didn't say anything, just nodded into his warm shirt. He chuckled and continued to stroke her hair delicately, admiring the sleeping beauty that lay before him. He surveyed all the people around him who were still grieving and distressed. He had a hard time sleeping last night due to all of the images of that night that were still stuck in his brain. He also didn't want to fall asleep so that he could watch over Rose. He was still concerned about something happening to her.

"Excuse me sir, would you like some tea?" Jack looked up at a young steward who held a platter of hot cups of tea.

"Uh, not for me, but I think she would when she wakes up, so I'll take one," Jack said, taking the delicate china in his hands. "Do you happen to know when we'll be docking?" Jack asked before the young man could walk away.

"We'll be in New York by tonight sir," he said, nodding and walking away.

Rose began to stir again when the aroma of the tea hit her nose. He watched as her nose twitched and her eyes blinked open.

"Is that tea?" she asked groggily, seeing the cup in his hands.

"Yup, its all yours," he said to her as she sat up. She smiled gratefully at him and took the cup into her own hands. He watched her admiringly as she took a sip of the tea and she smiled in satisfaction.

"Don't you want any?" She asked, holding the cup out for him.

"Nah, I'm not much of a tea person," he said, causing her to laugh.

"I love that about you," she said taking another sip. "When do we dock?"

"They said we'd be on land by tonight. Finally Rose, we can put this all behind us and just be together," he leaned into her and kissed her hair gently. She looked at him lovingly and gave him a genuine smile.

"I've never felt so hopeful before," she said, finishing off her tea and placing the cup on the bench. "I can't wait to start my life…with you." She ran her fingers along the palm of his right hand which rested on her lap. "I still can't believe how lucky I am that I found you."

"You know its not gonna be easy, right?" He asked her, uncertainly. "We're gonna have to work hard to be comfortable. We might have to move around a lot. We definitely won't be able to live in first class places…"

"Jack," she said, putting her soft fingers on his lips to silence him, "I don't care how hard it is. As long as I'm with you, I'll be happy." He smiled and kissed her fingers to let her know that he felt the same. She moved her hand to his neck and pulled him into her. They kissed passionately while holding tightly onto each other. They were both sure that their hearts would burst with the amount of love that they had for each other.

--

Later that night as they were standing on the deck, they had gotten word from one of the stewards that they would be approaching the dock soon. And sure enough, they saw the Statue of Liberty as they began to approach. Rose didn't care if it was raining, she grabbed Jack's hand and ran to the railing of the ship to admire the great statue. It symbolized so many things for her. It meant she would have freedom. It meant she would have love. It meant she would finally have a life worth living, and it was all thanks to the man standing next to her. Jack grabbed her hand as she pulled the black coat she had on around her tighter. Jack put the suitcase that Helen had packed for Rose down by his feet so he could put his other hand in his pocket.

"Its so beautiful," she said in amazement.

"You've never seen the statue of liberty before?" He asked. "I thought you lived on the east coast."

"I did, and I've traveled across this ocean many times. But I've never actually looked at it, I never got the chance to," she replied, gripping his hand. He looked down at her and wondered how a girl with such a beautiful and fiery spirit could have been so restricted. He put his arm around her and pulled her close to him and whispered into her ear lovingly. "I promise, you'll be able to experience anything you want now, Rose." She smiled at him and leaned into his warm body and watched as the statue slowly drifted passed them.

"Can I take your names please?" A steward with an umbrella asked as he approached them. He had a clip board in his hand as he was going around for the final roll call of survivors. It would be the first time that their names would be added to the list.

"Jack Dawson," he said nodding at the young man who appeared to be about his age.

"And you, miss?"

"Rose Dawson," she said with confidence. The steward kindly nodded at them and walked on his way, leaving Rose to look at a completely stunned Jack beside her.

"You want to use my name?" He asked in amazement.

"Of course I do," she said, putting her hand on his stomach. "Rose Dewitt Bukater isn't the real me, it never was. When I'm with you, I can be myself. I'm yours Jack…forever." He smiled down at her and crashed his lips against hers. He tangled his fingers in her hair as their tongues met. The kiss held so much emotion in it, they weren't sure if they would be able to hold themselves back. But the eventually broke apart and smiled at each other.

Jack bent down to pick up the small suitcase as he saw the dock in front of the boat. His heart was beating with excitement, but also with fear. What would they do tonight? He had no money, and he couldn't stand the thought of Rose sleeping on the cold and rainy New York streets.

"Jack!" He turned around and looked at her to see that she was holding a wad of cash in her right hand and the heart of the ocean in her left.

"What the hell?" He asked in amazement.

"They were in the pockets. Cal must have forgotten to take them out." He quickly took both items from her and hid them in his pocket before anyone could see. 'Thank God' he thought to himself. Now they would have money to get them into a hotel and keep them safe until they figured out what they were going to do.

"I guess that bastard is good for something," he said with a laugh. Rose laughed along with him and kissed him firmly on his lips. "We're gonna be alright Rose," he said after the kiss broke. "I promise."

**PLEASE REVIEW**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey guys! I actually found some time to update relatively soon! Finals are over soon so I can update frequently again soon. So please be patient :) **

**So this chapter has some very strong sexual content. If that offends you, I'm sorry but I believe its very important to include Jack and Rose's sexual attraction to each other. It really rounds out their whole relationship. So if you don't want to read, skip to the next chapter when it comes!**

Rose's grip on Jack's hand was tight as he tried to push their way past the large crowd. The flashes of the large cameras were blinding them and reporters were pushing their recorders into their faces, pleading with them to give them even the smallest bit of information. Jack quickly wrapped the thick blanket Rose held around her shoulders up by her face so that she could be shielded from the flashing lights. He put a protective arm around her shoulders as she buried her face into his neck, trying to block out all the chaos around her. When they finally broke from the large swarming crowd, the streets of New York were actually very quiet and deserted that night. They had arrived late, around 10 o'clock or so, and there was a steady drizzle coming from the night sky. Jack felt Rose shiver against him and knew that he had to get her into a warm building right away. He looked around the block where they stood and noticed that they had many options of where they could stay that night; it was New York City after all.

"Rose, we're gonna have to stay in one of these motels tonight. I hope that's okay," he said uncertainly.

She lifted her head from his shoulder and flashed him a tired smile. "Of course that's okay."

He lead her to the only motel that still had its lights on and walked through the squeaky door. The inside of the motel lobby was small and dark. There was dust on the counter top and there was a low hum of the large light above them that flickered slightly every couple of seconds. On the other side of the counter was a tall, thin, and pleasant looking man with a mustache. He looked up at them as he took a sip from his coffee and smiled at them when he placed it down on the counter.

"I don't usually get people this late at night," he said, cheerful that he was getting business. "Will you need a room for the night?"

"Yes, probably for a couple nights, actually," he said, his grip on Rose's hand tightening.

"No problem," the man said, opening one of the drawers in front of him and fishing through it. "Can I have your names?"

"Jack and Rose Dawson," he said with a smile. He looked down at Rose and saw that even though her eyes were tired, she was full of energy. The man at the counter finally found the key he was looking for and smiled in satisfaction.

"Ah, here it is. You two are lucky I still have a room open. We're almost completely full," he said with a smile, "now follow me."

Jack and Rose followed the man up the one flight of stairs and down the long hallway with doors lined all the way down. He stopped in the middle of the hallway and put the key in the door which had the number 210 on it in gold letters. He opened the door to reveal the small yet cozy room.

"So you've got your standard queen sized bed," he said pointing to the bed with two soft looking pillows and a simple white blanket. "You have this nice night stand with one of the two lamps in the room," he said leaning down and switching on the lamp. "There's a nice comfortable couch over there," he said pointing to the couch in the corner that looked to be very old and had no pillows on it, but it still looked comfortable. "And of course the dresser," he said pointing to the other corner of the room. The dresser was small and had only two drawers, but the wood looked relatively new. "And something that you two are very lucky to have," he said walking over to a door across the room, "the second floor rooms have their own bathrooms!" He opened the door to reveal a small yet clean bathroom. "Of course, it will cost you more than the floors downstairs."

"How much?" Jack asked tentatively. He knew he had a wad of cash in his pocket, he just didn't know how much and if it would be enough for them to stay there for a couple of days.

"Three dollars a night," the man said. "It's a pretty reasonable price considering you two will have your own bathroom."

Jack nodded politely at the man and reached into his pocket. He handed him the money and said, "I appreciate all your help. I think we'll be comfortable here for a couple days, don't you Rose?" He asked looking down at her.

"Its lovely," she said with a smile. "Thank you so much."

The man left the room leaving Jack and Rose alone for the first time since the sinking. Rose sat on the bed and took the heavy coat off of her with a heavy sigh. "It feels so good to take this thing off," she said with a laugh. He smiled down at her and put the small suite case on the ground. He took out the money and the necklace that was in his pocket and sat next to Rose on the bed.

"What are we gonna do with these?" He asked, more so about the diamond than the money.

"Lets keep this safe," she said, opening the suite case and tucking it in between the fabric of the two dresses she had. "As for the money, I think we should count it."

After counting the money over twice, they realized that they had $500 in their possession, which is about the equivalent of $5,000.

"I think for now we should just use this for food," he said rolling the stack over in his hands. "You don't ultimately want to stay here, do you?"

"Absolutely not," she said, "I want to get away from the east coast and go somewhere I've never been," she said with dreamy eyes.

"Alright, well, after you're done with Cal and the courts," he said taking her hand, "we can get out of here."

"I can't wait," she said with a huge smile. She leaned over to him and kissed him firmly on the lips. He put his hand delicately on her waist as he deepened the kiss, much to her delight. She ran her fingers through his silky hair and let a moan escape her lips as he let his tongue enter her mouth. She began to unbutton the top buttons of his shirt before he pulled away abruptly and stood up.

"What's wrong?" She asked, confused.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to," he said softly.

"What?" She asked, almost laughing at him. "Why would I not want to?"

"Well, I just want to let you know that just because we've been together once before doesn't mean we have to do it now. We can wait if you want." She looked up at him and saw that his face was flushed and his breathing was heavy. She knew that he wanted her just as badly as she wanted him and that he was just trying to be a gentleman.

"Jack," she said standing up from the bed and walking over to him. "There's nothing else I'd rather do." She put her hands on his chest and looked up into his eyes. She saw that his eyes were glossed over with lust, just as hers were. They looked at each other much in the way they had the first time they were together and knew what was about to happen. "When you made love to me on Titanic," she said as a soft red blush came across her face, "I've never in my life felt as loved and as safe as I did in that moment. I want to feel that again, and for the rest of my life."

He smile down at her and licked his lips before he bent down to meet hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his hands went down to rest on her lower back. Their tongues danced together in unison as they got completely lost in their own world. He gently pushed her backwards towards the bed, and she happily obliged. They laid down on the bed and he gently put his weight on top of her. She resumed unbuttoning his shirt and pulled it off of his tanned and toned shoulders. She ran her hands across his shoulders and down his chest to his fit stomach.

He began to leave a trace of kisses from her lips to her neck and down to her collar bone. She relaxed her whole body as she savored the feeling of his lips on her. He gently pulled her forward so that he could undo the back of her dress. She kissed and licked the length of his neck as his fingers worked over each button and stitch one by one. Finally the dress was loosened and he pulled the fabric away from her delicate skin. She removed her undergarments and threw them on the floor to join her dress. He took a moment to look at the beautiful woman in front of him. He ran his fingers softly down her neck, across her breasts, down her stomach and to her legs. She closed her eyes in pleasure at the feeling of his rough hands on her skin. She felt as if her body was burning with passion in every place that he touched her.

He bent down and gently kissed and licked each of her breasts, causing her to arch her back and moan in pleasure. As he worked over her delicate breasts his hand grazed over her most sensitive and private area, causing her to gasp in satisfaction and open her legs slightly. He smiled against her skin and worked his fingers over her as her breath became heavier and faster. He felt her wetness on his fingers and knew that she was ready for him. He sat up and removed the rest of his clothes that he still had on and positioned himself above her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and smiled lovingly up at him. He leaned down and kissed her lips as he entered her. They both moaned in unison at the wonderful sensation.

They made love slowly and deeply, making up for the first time which was fast and frenzied. He kissed her all over her face and lips as he made love to her. He still couldn't believe how lucky he was.

She held onto his body tightly as she enjoyed every single feeling she was having. She didn't know how she was so sexually attracted to this man and she definitely couldn't believe how much she was enjoying this and how much she enjoyed the first time. She was raised to believe that women were not sexual creatures and that sex was only for marriage purposes; definitely not done for pleasure. She had been disgusted by the thought of Cal making love to her and she had always dreaded the day she knew would eventually come. But when she had sex with Jack, she just acted on her instincts. She had never felt that way with anybody and gladly let him take her virginity; and every second of it was pure bliss. And this was even better. She couldn't hold her moans of pleasure in as he perfectly moved his hips and moved in and out of her.

He put his forehead against hers and let their perspiration mix together as they looked lovingly at each other. He let out a deep moan as he could feel her walls tightening around him, almost begging him to go faster. He balanced his weight on his forearms as he moved faster and deeper within her, causing her moans to be louder as the pleasure built inside of her. She knew what was about to happen. She had an orgasm the first time they were together and it was the most wonderful feeling she had ever physically experienced. She grabbed his hip with her right hand, guiding him to keep going. She felt her orgasm building inside of her and finally explode as she threw her head back and screamed his name in ecstasy.

Jack let himself go as she screamed his name and he buried his head into her neck as he came. She held him close to her as he tried to gain his breath and sweat fell off his forehead to her shoulder. She kissed his neck and shoulders until he came up for air and looked at her in amazement.

"You're so amazing," she said, leaning up to kiss his forehead.

"No, you are," he said smiling. "I love you so much," he said in a whispery voice.

"I love you," she said as she kissed him.

They curled up under the blankets together with their bare skin in contact. They fell asleep in each other's arms, whispering sweet nothing all night long. They couldn't wait for the morning to come so they could start another day together again.

**Please review! Your feedback is MUCH appreciated!! :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**SO sorry it took me so long to update! One more week and then finals are over. Then I can update all the time! Enjoy!**

Jack began to stir as the sunlight from the window hit his face lightly. He heard some voices down the hall and knew it was early morning by the position of the sun. He turned to look at Rose who was sleeping next to him. The sight of her took his breath away. She was laying on her back with her head turned towards him. Her red hair seemed especially bright as it was sprawled out over the white pillow. The thin blankets were wrapped tightly around her naked body, outlining every curve that fit her so perfectly and left little to the imagination. He leaned over and softly kissed her nose, causing her to move slightly in her sleep. He kissed her face lightly several times before she finally opened her eyes.

"Good morning," he said in a low and raspy voice once she looked at him.

"Good morning," she replied back with a small smile on her tired face. "What time is it?"

"Its about ten," he said, looking up at the clock.

"Really?" She said as her eyes got wide. "I haven't slept in this late for…well, I can't even remember the last time I wasn't awake by eight," she said as she stretched her limbs.

"See, we've already starting accomplishing firsts for you," he said with a chuckle.

"I suppose you're right," she said, leaning over and kissing him sweetly on the lips. She then wrapped the blanket tightly around her body as she stood up from the bed and walked over to the window. She opened the curtains with her hand and peaked out the window. The sun was bright and there were only a few clouds in the sky. It was as if something devastatingly horrific hadn't happened only a matter of days ago. "It's a beautiful day out," she said while staring out the window. "Should we go to the police station like the officer told us?"

"I think its too early for that," he said getting out of bed and walking over towards her. "He said to give it at least twenty four hours. We should go tomorrow. But for today," he said wrapping his arms around her from behind, "we can do whatever it is you want to do."

"Whatever I want to do?" She said almost in disbelief. "Well…I've never been able to do just whatever I wanted before." It was so strange for Jack to think that Rose's whole life she was told what to do and what to say. "Do you feel like drawing?" Rose asked, turning around to look at Jack.

"Well I always feel like drawing," he said with a crooked smile. "But I don't have anything to draw with…"

"So we'll go get you something," she said excitedly, maneuvering around him and picking up her clothes from the floor. "I would love to watch you draw. If that's alright with you, of course."

"Of course its alright with me," he said as he watched her dress. "But are you sure that's what you want to do?" He asked. He couldn't understand why she would want to watch him draw. He thought that it might bore her.

"I've wanted to watch you draw since I saw your work," she said as she walked up to him and took his right hand in hers. She ran her finger tips along his palm and along his fingers. "Please?"

"Okay," he said, leaning down to kiss her.

Rose sat comfortable next to Jack on a park bench as he expertly drew the image of a woman and her child across from them. She watched his hand move effortlessly across the paper as if it had a mind of its own. Once he finished, he blew on the paper and examined his work in front of him.

"Its so beautiful," she whispered as she reached over and delicately touched the drawing. "How do you do it?"

"If I knew I'd tell ya," he replied, closing his new portfolio. "It just comes naturally to me."

"That's so wonderful. I wish I had a talent of some sort like you."

"I'm sure you do Rose," he said as he kissed her cheek quickly. "A woman as amazing as you must have many talents."

"Well I was an excellent dancer, if I do say so myself," she said with a goofy smile, referring back to her days of ballet classes. "But that was years ago. Mother said I had to stop once I turned fifteen. She said it was a girl's hobby, and that I was a woman now. Oh, but I loved to dance," she said, hanging her head low. "I didn't want to stop."

"Once we get out of here Rose, you can do whatever you want. Including dancing."

"That would be nice," she said, smiling at him. "How do you feel about California?" She asked, cautiously.

"I loved California when I was there. It was great. You want to go there?"

"Yes, I really do. That would be my ultimate wish."

"Well, Rose," he started as he stole a quick kiss, "your wish is my command."

All he wanted to do was make her happy, and he was going to do everything in his power to do just that. Little did he know, he had already made her the happiest person on the planet.

**Now I know this chapter wasn't all that exciting, but its just a transition for the next chapter where stuff gets juicy again. PLEASE REVIEW!!!! :)**


	15. Chapter 15

They walked up to the court house hand in hand. Jack could feel Rose's tiny hand shaking in his and he could see the anxiety and fear in her eyes. He hated to see her like this, and he didn't want to put her through this, but he knew that she had to do it. He stopped her before they walked through the front doors and pulled her off to the side of the building.

"You've gotta be strong, Rose," he said as he put his hand tenderly on her cheek. "I know you can do this."

"I was hoping I'd never have to see him again," she said, her voice shaking. "What if my mother's in there? What if they set him free? What if he comes after me…after us?"

"Rose," he said, putting his finger on her plump lips. "Don't think like that. Everything is going to be alright. And if its not, I won't let anything bad happen to you. Just remember that."

She couldn't help but smile up at him at his words. He seemed to know exactly what to say to put her at ease and make her heart flutter. She leaned up and pecked him on the lips, bringing a relieved smile to his face.

"Let's go," he said, taking her hand again and leading through the front doors. Her breathing was heavy as she heard the click of her heels echo throughout the large building. For there being so many people walking around, it was deathly quiet. "This way," Jack said, looking down at the piece of paper with the directions. They approached a very well dressed man with dark black hair and piercing blue eyes. He had a kind smile as his eyes met theirs.

"Miss Dewitt Bukater?" He extended his hand to Rose.

"Mrs. Dawson, actually," she said, politely.

The man looked between her and Jack and a bright smile shone on his face. "Wonderful then. Congratulations," he said patting Jack on the back.

They smiled shyly. Even though they weren't actually married, they felt like they were, and enjoyed people addressing them with the same last name.

"So, today shouldn't be too difficult," the man said with an uncomfortable laugh. "There's some pretty substantial evidence against Mr. Hockley, so I wouldn't worry, young lady." His smile put her at ease and made her feel a little more comfortable. "I should advise you to be prepared, though," he said, his voice lowering. "You are going to have to testify against him, so be prepared to speak. And he has a good legal team."

"I have nothing to hide," she said confidently.

"Good," he said, showing her his gentle smile again, "then just speak from your heart, and everything should be fine."

As he began to lead them to the court room in which they were assigned, Jack leaned down to whisper in Rose's ear. "See Rose, I told you there was nothing to worry about." She smiled up at him and gave his hand a slight squeeze, showing her appreciation for him.

They walked into the court room to see only a couple of people scattered around the room. Some they recognized, like the officer who took the police report, and some whom they didn't recognize, that were most likely reporters of some sort. Rose looked tentatively around the room for her mother, but thankfully, didn't find her anywhere. They were seated along side with their lawyer, on the opposite end from where the defense would be sitting. They waited for a couple of agonizing minutes until the judge finally walked into the room.

"All rise."

"Please be seated."

Jack had never been in a situation like this before, but he knew Rose had. He vaguely remembered her telling him something about having to go to court because of her father and some money trouble. So even though he had no idea what to expect, he rested comfortably knowing that Rose had at least a little bit of an idea.

Right at that moment, the side door opened, revealing Cal and his two lawyers. He was very well dressed, which wasn't surprising. What was very peculiar, though, was that his face seemed to be very tired. He probably wasn't having a very easy time in prison. Rose's body tensed up when she saw him, but she completely avoided eye contact at all costs. Jack noticed her uneasiness at Cal's presence, and he put his warm hand protectively over hers to calm her nerves.

"Mr. Caledon Hockley," the judge said, looking over at Cal over the rim of his glasses, "you are being charged with domestic violence against your ex fiancé, Miss Rose DeWitt Bukater. How do you plea?"

"Not guilty, your honor." His low voice filled the room, causing Rose to shiver. His voice was flat and emotionless, as it usually is.

The first five minutes of the trial were filled with the judge going over the paperwork and the lawyers presenting their case to him. Rose sat with her head down and her hands in her lap. She could feel Cal's eyes on her, and it made her want to scream. The only thing that was keeping her sane was Jack's presence at her side.

"Mr. Hockley," the judge said, shaking Rose out of her trance, "please approach the stand." She watched as he stood up from his chair, brushed down his suite, and walked elegantly over towards the podium. The officer held out the bible in front of Cal and instructed him to place his right hand over the bible.

"Mr. Caledon Hockley, do you swear to tell the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God."

"Yes." Once again, flat and emotionless. He sat down at the podium as Rose's lawyer approached him.

"Is your birth name Caledon Hockley?" The lawyer asked calmly, getting the simple questions out of the way first.

"Yes."

"Are you twenty eight years old?"

"Yes."

"And you're the father of Pittsburg business man, Nathan Hockley, correct?"

"That is correct."

"Right," he said as he flipped through his notebook. "And how long were you engaged to Miss Rose?"

"We were engaged to be married for approximately four months," he said, looking strait at her. She kept her eyes downcast as he spoke about her.

"And during that time, did your fiancé ever act inappropriately or act out in any way?"

"Not necessarily," he said. "It wasn't until we boarded Titanic that she became so irrational." His voice was low and bitter as he recalled what happened over the voyage.

"But prior to the trip, she was a perfectly fine lady, correct?"

"Yes. Correct."

"Had you ever physically harmed Miss Rose before this alleged incident?"

"No. Never."

Rose scoffed at his answer and stood up from her seat.

"He's lying, your honor!"

"Miss DeWitt Bukater, I request that you stay silent until you are questioned. If you speak out of turn again I will hold you in contempt of court."

Rose reluctantly sat down as she felt Jack tugging on her arm. Rose's lawyer continued to question Cal and present the judge with evidence, all while Cal was dodging answers and lying strait to the judge's face. Then it was time for Rose to be the one at the stand while Cal's lawyer questioned her. She could tell just by the look on the man's face that he wasn't going to be easy on her.

"Miss DeWitt Bukater-"

"Dawson," she said forcefully. "My name is Rose Dawson."

"Pardon me," he said sarcastically. "Miss Dawson. Is it true that while you were still engaged to Mr. Hockley, that you had an affair with another man?"

"Yes," she said, fidgeting with her hands.

"And is it true that this affair was sexual?"

"Yes." She knew that he was trying his hardest to make her look bad.

"So not only did you engage in sexual intercourse before marriage, but it was with someone who was not your current fiancé. Is this all true?"

"Yes sir," she said, quietly. "But Cal treated me horribly-" she began to speak but was cut off from Cal as he spoke from across the room.

"I did not treat you horribly, sweetpea. I gave you everything you ever wanted. You were the one who was unappreciative and betrayed my love."

Rose looked up at the judge, confused and appalled that he didn't punish Cal for talking like he did to her.

"This is absurd! You're trying to make excuses for beating and trying to rape a woman, and its absolutely despicable!"

"Miss Dawson," the lawyer said, "let me remind you that there is no evidence that Mr. Hockley tried to rape you at all. What there is evidence of, however, is you having a sexual affair with a third class man while you were engaged to Mr. Hockley. And let us not forget the extremely expensive diamond necklace that he gave you that your lover tried to get away with."

"What? There's no evidence of that, either!" She said, looking up at the judge for help. "You're taking Cal's word over mine and taking him into consideration over me simply because he's a man of high status!" She said, tears filling her eyes. "I should've known this would happen! Just because I'm a woman, and just because Jack isn't of high status basically means that neither of our stories matter! Is that what's going on here?" She asked the judge as a tear escaped her eye.

"No Miss," the judge said, clearing his throat. "I keep my court room very fair and equally balanced."

Although he said the words, Rose knew he didn't mean it. She looked over at Jack who had anger and sorrow in his eyes. If he could, he would jump right on Cal and beat the shit out of him. But he knew he couldn't. He knew he couldn't do anything. One word out of his mouth could get him in a lot of trouble.

"That's all, your honor," the lawyer said, excusing Rose.

"I can't believe this," she said to Jack as they sat to await the judge's conclusion. "They all questioned Cal so easily and made me out to be the evil one."

"Its okay, Rose," he said as his hand ran up and down her back. He leaned in and kissed her tenderly on the cheek before whispering in her ear. "I promise, I won't let anything bad happen to you. I'm here to protect and love you. And first thing tomorrow, we can head out of here and never come back."

The judge then finally stepped into the room and sat in his chair as he opened up his case file.

"After much deliberation," he said, "I have found the defendant, Caledon Hockley, not guilty of domestic violence. There will be no punishment for the defendant."

Rose could feel her whole body go cold. She looked over to see Cal and his two lawyers shaking hands with huge smiles on their faces. He looked over at her and smiled the biggest smile she had ever seen. It was a genuinely happy smile…and it made her feel sick to her stomach.

**PLEASE REVIEW**


	16. Chapter 16

**Surprise! Yes, I'm actually updating this story! In case you were wondering, the reason why I took a break from writing my Titanic stories is because, well, I find it hard to write. I mean, the epic story line in the movie and the love between the two characters is irreplaceable, and I feel like nothing I write truly lives up to the magic of the movie. But reading all of your great reviews definitely gives me motivation. So I hope you enjoy this new chapter!**

Rose walked into their tiny motel room and immediately slumped onto the bed, making it creak underneath her weight. Jack closed the door behind him and stood silently watching her, not entirely sure how to approach her. Mascara was running down her face and she clawed at her hair, fiercely taking out the pins and letting it fall wildly down her shoulders. He watched as her body shook from her attempts to hold in her sobs, and he cautiously walked over to the bed and sat next to her.

He gently touched his hand to the small of her back and watched as her body instantly relaxed under him. He began to rub small circles on her back, allowing her to calm down a bit and regulate her breathing.

"Its gonna be okay, ya know," he said into her ear as she wiped her black tears away. She gave him a tired smile. "I'd never let anything happen to you."

"I know, its not that," she said with a sniffle. "I just hate him so much. And after what he did to me, I just wish he would've gotten the punishment he so rightfully deserves."

"Trust me, I agree with you," he said, his voice calm and even, although inside he was raging. "But you're stronger than him. Don't allow it to get to you. Some things in life aren't fair, but you just gotta deal with it."

She looked up at him with loving eyes, knowing that every word he said was true. He was so wise for a man of only twenty.

"I'm just so grateful I don't ever have to be with him again," she said, her voice soft yet full of emotion. "I don't know how I ever got so lucky as to meet you." He smiled at her and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. He left a trail of kisses from her lips, across her cheek, until his lips landed gently on her ear.

"You already know I feel the same way," he said in a hushed whisper, recalling the words he said to her the night the Titanic sank. _Winning that ticket, Rose, was the best thing that ever happened to me. It brought me to you. And I'm thankful for that, Rose. I'm thankful._

She smiled up at him, no longer feeling hopelessness or anger. All she felt was the shivers up her spine when he kissed her.

"So I think now would be as good of a time as ever to head on outta here, don't you think?" He asked as he tucked a loose red curl behind her ear. She let out an exasperated sigh and eagerly agreed with him.

"Yes! I'd love to be anywhere but here. I've always hated New York."

He thought carefully and quietly to himself for a moment as Rose looked into his eyes anxiously.

"I know exactly where I can take you," he said finally. Her eyes lit up and a smile crept upon her face.

"Where?" She asked excitedly.

"Well I think its just gonna have to be a surprise," he said teasingly. She chuckled at him and smacked him playfully in the side.

"I should've known you would say that." She impatiently pulled at the tight dress she was wearing and realized that she had to get out of it immediately. She had bought an expensive dress the day before the trial, similar to one she would've worn before in her society life. "I can't believe I thought that if I dressed fancy that I would have a better chance at winning the case. Apparently it doesn't matter what I wear; I'm still a woman, and whatever I have to say doesn't matter."

He looked at her through sympathetic eyes. "It matters to me," he said genuinely.

"That's because you're different. You're not like other mindless, egotistical men. You actually have a heart and soul."

"Well perhaps this non egotistical man could help you out of this dress," he said coyly as his fingers reached for the buttons that adorned the back of the dress. A mischievous smile came upon her face and she moved her hair to the side, allowing him better access to the back of the dress.

"I would appreciate it very much if you could assist me," she said breathlessly. She gasped slightly when she felt his lips land on her exposed skin as each button came undone. But before anything could get too serious, there was a loud banging on the door, interrupting them. Jack grunted frustratedly, as did Rose. He got up from the bed and swung the door open, not at all expecting who was on the other side.

"Mother?" Rose said from her spot on the bed. She got up and walked towards the door, not caring that her dress was half unbuttoned; she couldn't see it from the front anyway. "What on earth are you doing here? How did you find us?"

"Its really not that hard. I figured you would be staying in this part of town now that you're with him," she said with a disgusted look on her face. Rose let out a sigh and put her hang on her hip.

"I thought we made it clear to leave us alone."

"Well I heard of the court ruling and I thought, foolishly, that perhaps it would make you change your mind." Rose's mouth hung open in shock from her mother's words. "But apparently you didn't if you're still here," she said, eyeing Jack. He didn't say a word, just stood off to the side with an expressionless look on his face.

"Of course I haven't changed my mind!" Rose said loudly. "My God, you're so unbelievable. Both of you are! Why would you think for one second that I would want to go back to Cal after what he did to me?"

"Rose, stop being so dramatic," her mother said with the roll of her eyes. "This is not a drama stage."

"Mother, please, leave us be."

"I cannot do that, Rose. You are my daughter," she said with tears in her eyes, although Rose knew they were more tears for herself. "How could you possibly have a happy life without any stability? He could never take care of you like Caledon could. What happens if you fall pregnant, Rose? How would you make the means to care for a child?"

Finally, Jack spoke up, not being able to hold his thoughts any longer. "I think we're perfectly capable of figuring that our ourselves, if that was to happen," he said in his calm voice, although there was sternness to it. "As far as Cal being able to take better care of her, I think you've got the wrong idea of what caring for a person is."

Rose looked from Jack's calm expression to her mother's disgusted one. "Just leave us alone," Rose said, "both of you. We're going to be leaving the state tomorrow, and you'll most likely never see either one of us again. And I'd like to keep it that way."

Ruth stood silently in place, her fake tears now entirely gone. Without a word, she simply turned on her heel and walked back down the hallway. Jack closed the door quietly and leaned against it. He reached for her hands and pulled her towards him. She rested her weight against him as his arms encircled her waist.

"Just remember that we're leaving tomorrow, Rose," he said into her hair. "That's all you need to think about right now." She nodded into his chest and took in his scent, letting in calm her down.


	17. Chapter 17

Rose gripped Jack's hand tightly as they weaved their way through the crowded train station. He felt her hand tense around his as the crowd got thicker and thicker. He turned his head to look at her behind him and gave her a reassuring smile. She smiled back, letting him know she would be alright. It was just a bit overwhelming for her. Traveling by train in first class was always organized and quiet, but this was something she wasn't prepared for. She thought that boarding day on the Titanic was hectic, but it was nothing compared to the amount of people crowded together, all trying to get a good seat on the train.

Luckily for Rose, Jack was aggressive and experienced with these situations. He pushed his way through the crowd expertly, not letting any bump of shoulders or _hey, watch where you're goin' _slow him down.

He stretched his neck and found the entrance to the part of the train that he knew would be the least crowded. They would have to sit all the way in the back, but it wouldn't be as chaotic and crowded as the front part of the train. He gripped Rose's hand tightly and sped up his pace, pulling her along with him. She clung to his loose shirt with her other hand and kept her head downcast, trying to avoid the dirty looks of the people that they bumped into.

Finally, they entered the train and Jack lead her to the very back row, and luckily found a seat by a window for them. He happily let her sit by the window and sat down next to her, putting their small suitcase safely by their feet.

"Good thing we got here early," he said as he leaned into her. "If we would have come any later we probably would have been stuck standing up," he said as they watched more and more people pile in.

She smiled at him and said, "I should just listen to you when it comes to _anything. _You seem to know the answer to everything."

"Well, not everything. But most everything," he said, giving her a teasing smile. She chuckled at him and leaned into his side.

"Are you still not telling me where we're going?" She asked as she tilted her head to look into his eyes.

"Afraid not," he said with a sigh. "I want to surprise you."

"Just give me a hint," she said as she sat up excitedly. "Pleeeeease." She laughed at herself, knowing that if her mother heard her begging like a small child she would have a fit about Rose not acting like a proper lady. Then again, Ruth would be disgusted with everything Rose was doing now : traveling third class, not wearing her hair up in a bun, wearing a simple dress, etc.

"Alright, I'll give you a hint," he said as he put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed her back to his side. "Its near water. But _warm _water," he added quickly when he saw the look of apprehension in her green eyes. "And we won't be _on _it or _in _it, we can admire from afar. And the water is crystal clear, with the whitest sand you'd ever seen." Her eyes lit up and she bit on her lower lip.

"Have you been before?"

"Once. I don't even know how I ended up there. I guess I just stumbled upon it through my aimless travels when I was first on my own. I loved it then, but I have a feeling I'll love it even more now that I'll be with you." She gave him a shy smile before looking out the window.

A couple minutes later, the doors to the train closed and everyone settle into their seats or places standing, pressed together in the aisles. One of the train attendants began walking the aisles the check people's tickets. "En route to Virginia, North Carolina, and last stop, Florida," he announced. Rose squirmed happily in her seat. Whichever of the three states they were going to, she hadn't been to any. So either way, it was a new adventure.

…

24 Hours Later

Rose had never had to sit in the same spot for so long in her whole life. Her legs were cramped from staying in the same position and her neck was stiff was falling asleep on Jack's shoulder. In order to use the bathroom on the train Rose would have to push her way through the thick crowd, and then would have to wait in line. And the food they gave them was nothing short of insulting. But she stayed strong and didn't let it get to her. Jack was beyond impressed with her. Not one complaint had come from her, and even though she looked tired and annoyed from the whole experience, she still kept a pleasant look on her face. _God she's amazing_, Jack thought.

The train was beginning to come to its third stop of the trip. The amount of people in the train was significantly less than it had started off as, and the early morning sun was just starting to peak over the horizon. "Last stop, Florida," the train attendant said. Rose reached for Jack's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"I can't wait, Jack!" She said with a grin on her face. He brought her hand to his lips and put a soft kiss on her milky white knuckles.

"Me either."

After the train had finally stopped, they stepped off and onto the platform, hand in hand. They were immediately greeted by a strong but warm breeze, causing their hair to fly back. The air was completely different from the cold, dry, icy air of the east coast. Instead it was warm and moist and full of life. She immediately knew she would love anywhere near a beach. They began to walk through the station until they found their way onto an actual street.

She looked around at the people and noticed that they seemed to be different, too. They walked with a much lighter stride and their clothes were lighter, not as heavy. The upper class women still wore elaborate hats and the lower class women still wore their hair up and shawls around their shoulders, but Rose could tell just by their faces that they were different. She smiled and looked out in front of her, seeing a light blue mirage type of thing out in the distance, sitting right on the skyline. Jack saw the look of confusion on her face and squeezed her hand.

"That's the ocean, Rose. The warm, sandy, beautiful, unthreatening ocean." He watched happily as her face lit up.

"Its beautiful."

"Come on," he said as he pulled her along. "Let's go find somewhere to stay, right on the beach."

**So yeah, its fluffy, lol. But its just a set up for this new chapter in their life. Please review!**


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